It is a Shame!

In the recent past ICC officials have interpreted and enforced the code of conduct rules and regulations without any uniformity or consistency. This trend continues, Rickey Pointing was guilty of serious breach and dissent in the recently concluded test match at Trent bridge cricket ground.

Rule book says arguing with an umpire's decision is a violation of code of conduct, technically called as Dissent, this cannot be tolerated. Anything more than a polite question to the umpires is heavily monitored and it could attract a penalty from the match referee. A rude gesture to an opponent and their officials in disgust is considered to the most serious misconduct in a cricket match. This warrants at least a match ban.

“Australian captain Ricky Ponting was booked for the above mentinoed charges” and his tantrums did not stop on the field, he went on to display his bad boy nature off the field to the opponent coach sitting in the balcony. But after all this, he just gets fined 75 percent of his match fee on Sunday, he is let go freely to continue his misconduct.

Let me rewind a little and check how ICC treats cricketers from South Asia.

April 9, 2005: Sourav Ganguly, India v Pakistan, ODI [on a Hot and very Humid day]
Charges: Slow over rate - Fined 70% of match fee Referee: M/s Chris Broad

April 12, 2005: Sourav Ganguly, India v Pakistan, ODI
Charges: Slow Over rate. Banned for 6 ODIs.
Referee: Chris Broad

Apr 5, 2005: Inzamam-ul-Haq, India v Pakistan, ODI
Charges: Abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings. Official Reprimand. Referee: Chris Broad

Mar 28, 2005: Inzamam-ul-Haq, India v Pakistan, Test
Charges:Charging or advancing towards the umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing. Banned for 1 - Test match. Referee: Chris Broad

Pakistan's Yousuf Youhana and India's Irfan Pathan after finding them guilty of breaching ICC's code of conduct during the BCCI platinum jubilee match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Youhana was fined 75 per cent of the match fee and Pathan 50 per cent of the match fee.Their offence was a level two breach of Code which carries a fine of between 50 to 100 per cent of the players' match fee and/or a one Test match or two ODI match ban.

It is high time to put an lid on this double standard slip shot behavior of ICC match referees. The punishment awarded to Rickey Ponting is biased, too mild and cannot be accepted. Why Asian boards are dumb and dull headed? Are they running out of NaCl - Common salt.?