Vernon Philander Fined For Swearing At Jos Buttler

The South Africa seamer Vernon Philander, who is playing his final Test before joining Somerset as a Kolpak player, used an inappropriate language after dismissing Jos Buttler at Wanderers on Saturday. Regarding the same, the ICC fined him with 15 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for his send-off to Buttler on day two of the fourth Test in Johannesburg.

Philander had breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

Vernon Philander at the receiving end:

After Buttler holed out in the covers to Philander, the South African could be seen giving Buttler a piece of his mind. Philander is the second South Africa bowler to have breached Article 2.5 of the code of conduct this series.

Philander admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Joel Wilson, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth official Allahdien Palekar had levelled the charges against Philander.

Also Read: Watch: Pumped Up Virat Kohli Abuses Martin Guptill After Taking His Catch

Recently, Kagiso Rabada received the same sentence for provoking Joe Root after dismissing him in the third Test at St George’s Park. And also, Ben Stokes for his verbal confrontation with a spectator at the Wanderers on Friday. Rabada got banned for the fourth Test because his demerit point triggered a ban.

Getting into the details of the match, England sits strongly in the driver seat after the first session on Day three. They secured a 217-run lead in the first innings and the openers Zak Crawley and Dominic Sibley registered an unbeaten 50-run partnership at the time of lunch on Day three at Johannesburg.