Australia stand-in captain George Bailey has been suspended for Friday’s Tri-Series one-day international with England at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval.
Bailey has been banned for one game and fined 20 per cent of his match fee, his second such offence as skipper in 12 months, for maintaining a slow over-rate in yesterday’s ODI versus India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia were ruled to be one over short of their target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration.
Bailey pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. His players have been fined 10 per cent of their match fees.
For another incident in yesterday’s game Australia batsman David Warner has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for committing a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The incident happened on the last ball of the 22nd over when Warner approached India batsman Rohit Sharma and confronted him aggressively after Rohit had taken a run from an over-throw. The Australian had to be withdrawn from the confrontation by both the on-field umpires.
Warner admitted to a breach of Article 2.1.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which provides that an offence will be committed where a player engages in “… conduct that either : (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disrepute”.
Warner accepted the offence and the proposed sanction, and therefore a formal hearing was not required.
Meanwhile, there was positive news from Australia captain Michael Clarke, who is battling to be fit for the World Cup.
He is recovering from hamstring surgery and must be ready to face Bangladesh on February 21 or face being axed from the squad.
Team physio Alex Kountouris said: "Michael is progressing well in his rehab and is currently running on a regular basis and has commenced batting.
"He was reviewed by the surgeon in Melbourne on Sunday who was very pleased with his progress.
"He remains on track for a return to play by 21 February."