Jonny Bairstow Receives Demerit Point For Obscene Comments

England star Jonny Bairstow has been reprimanded and handed one demerit point by the ICC on Monday after he was found guilty of using an “audible obscenity during an international match”. The right-handed batsman was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the fifth T20I match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the seventh over of England’s innings after his dismissal. Jonny Bairstow’s objectionable comments were picked up by the stump mic and were “heard on TV”. On-field umpires Wayne Knights and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Christopher Brown as well as fourth umpire Shaun Haig levelled the charge the following day.

The hard-hitting batsman admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft. Consequently, no official hearing was required. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

England, meanwhile, went on to beat New Zealand in the super over to clinch the series 3-2. In a repeat of July’s World Cup final, the scores were tied at the end of an unbelievable game. New Zealand plundered 146-5 from 11 overs, and it took Chris Jordan hitting 12 off the final three deliveries to take the game to a super over.

Jonny Bairstow, who earlier struck 47 off 18 balls, and captain Eoin Morgan scored 17 off England’s six deliveries, before Jordan limited New Zealand to eight. The rain-curtailed game contained a staggering 29 sixes in 24 overs. Both the teams will now lock horns in a two-match Test series. The series starts on 21 November.

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