Jos Buttler fined 15% of match fee by ICC for calling Vernon Philander a ‘f****** k***head’

Wicketkeeper accepted a charge for breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct but will not face any ban

Vithushan Ehantharajah
Cape Town
Thursday 09 January 2020 15:43 GMT
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Jos Buttler has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee and given one demerit point for his foul-mouthed outburst at South Africa’s Vernon Philander after it was picked up by the stump microphone and broadcast live on television during this week’s second Test.

The England wicketkeeper took exception to Philander apparently blocking his view in catching the ball as the visitors chased down victory on the second Test at Newlands.

As Philander stood waiting for the next delivery in his crease, Buttler berated him from behind the wicket and appeared to call the South African pace bowler a “f****** k***head”.

The exchange was picked up by the stump microphones and shared widely on social media, leaving Buttler with little option but to accept the match referee's charge.

He will lose 15 per cent of his match fee and pick up one demerit point having breached the ICC's disciplinary code. Suspensions kick in only after players have accumulated four demerit points in a two-year period and, as this is Buttler's first such offence, he is in no imminent danger of missing any cricket.

An ICC statement read: "Buttler was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to 'use of an audible obscenity during an international match' following an incident with South Africa all-rounder Vernon Philander.

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

"In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Buttler, for whom it was the first offence during a 24-month period."

Speaking after England's series-levelling victory at Newlands, captain Joe Root gave the incident short shrift.

"I don't think anyone overstepped the mark and you want a bit of something to talk about, a bit of spice on the TV don't you?" he said.

"Hopefully it's not a big deal and we can just get on with it. I don't think it will linger throughout the series - it's just two guys playing hard Test cricket. At that stage in the game emotions were probably running quite high."

The incident came with England still needing three wickets to clinch victory in Cape Town with time running out on the fifth and final day, with tensions boiling over as the ball was returned to Buttler from the field.

Aggressively berating Philander, Buttler was overheard saying: “F****** move. No one is going to f****** give it to you, just move. F****** k***head! Get past that f****** gut.”

The foul language was heard on the live broadcast coverage beamed around the world, which triggered an immediate apology from Sky Sports commentator and former England captain Michael Atherton. It was not the first time in the final innings that players on both sides were told to ease off the level of sledging being deployed as James Anderson and Faf du Plessis clashed earlier in the day when the England bowler appeared to get in the way of the South African captain.

The ICC deems sledging to be unsportsmanlike but it largely goes under the radar, with the governing body only stepping in in extreme cases.

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