Ravi Bopara, Tino Best slapped with 3 penalty points for breaching ECB’s discipline code

Ravi Bopara was dismissed lbw for a duck in Essex's successful chase of 136 and angrily indicated to umpire that he had got his bat on the ball.

London: Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara and Hampshire bowler Tino Best were each slapped with three penalty points on Wednesday for breaching the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) discipline code. Both players were reported after incidents in June 24’s T20 Blast match between their two teams, which Essex won by five wickets. Former England international Bopara was dismissed lbw for a duck in Essex’s successful chase of 136 and angrily indicated to umpire Neil Bainton that he had got his bat on the ball. West Indian paceman Best then became frustrated during Ashar Zaidi’s match-winning innings of 52 and, having bowled a wide, threw the ball at Zaidi – giving away four overthrows as well as earning himself a sanction. READ: Ravi Bopara expresses disappointment at being excluded from England squad for ICC World T20 2016

An ECB statement read: “Best was reported by umpires Martin Saggers and Neil Bainton during Hampshire’s NatWest T20 Blast match against Essex on 24th June 2016, for a Level Two breach of the code (throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner). READ: Sachin Tendulkar’s final Test: Tino Best wanted to impress retiring legend

“Bopara was reported by the umpires during the same match for a Level Two breach of the code (showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action).

“The penalty for each of these breaches is three penalty points. These penalties will remain on their records for a period of two years and the accumulation of nine, 18 or more penalty points in any two-year period will result in an automatic suspension.”

Bopara last played for England in the ICC World Cup 2015, while Best has not made an appearance for West Indies for two years.