Melbourne: Australian star Shane Warne was banned for one match and fined 4,500 Australian dollars (Rs 2.57 lakh) on Monday after an ugly, foul-mouthed clash with West Indian Marlon Samuels during a Twenty20 match in Melbourne.
The spin legend, captaining the Melbourne Stars against city rivals the Renegades in the domestic Big Bash tournament on Sunday, was furious that Samuels pulled back David Hussey when the batsman was turning for a second run.
And when Samuels was batting later in the game, Warne confronted the West Indian with the words “F*** you, Marlon.”
In the next over, Warne, in the field, threw the ball at the Jamaican’s chest and Samuels reacted by tossing his bat down the pitch towards the Australian.
The two players squared up and had to be separated by the umpires.
Samuels was later forced to retire hurt when he top-edged a Lasith Malinga delivery into his eye. With blood gushing from his face, he needed hospital treatment.
Cricket Australia on Monday charged both players with multiple breaches of its code of behaviour and in Warne’s case found him guilty of three of four offences.
The veteran leg-spinner was sanctioned for dissent at an umpire’s decision, using obscene language and deliberate physical contact.
But he was cleared of another charge of throwing the ball at or near the West Indian in an “inappropriate and/or dangerous manner”.
Samuels faces two breaches – deliberate physical contact and unbecoming behaviour, but it is not clear when the charges will be heard as he is nursing a suspected serious eye injury.
Stars’ batsman Cameron White was also charged with dissent and received a suspended Aus$1,000 (Rs 57,000) fine in a game the Renegades won by nine wickets in front of a record Australian domestic Twenty20 crowd of 46,581.
Warne, who cannot play in his team’s Tuesday night clash against Sydney Thunder in Melbourne, claimed he had been harshly treated.
“For me as the Melbourne Stars (captain) I’m very conscious of the image of the game,” he told reporters after the hearing.
“I’m disappointed in some of my actions last night. Also I’m pretty disappointed with the severity of the penalties too.
“I think that was pretty harsh.”
Stars’ chief executive Clint Cooper said the club was considering its legal options. (AFP)
