Samuels fined for Stokes abuse

Cape Town - Marlon Samuels of the West Indies has been fined 30 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during his side’s ICC World Tweny20 final against England at Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Samuels was found to have breached Article 2.1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match".

The incident happened in the final over of West Indies’ run-chase when Samuels used abusive and offensive language directed at Ben Stokes after Carlos Brathwaite hit the bowler for three successive sixes.

Samuels admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Ranjan Madugalle and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charge were levelled by on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Rod Tucker, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Bruce Oxenford, all from the panel of ICC Match Referees.

For all first offences, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player’s match fee.