In a surprising turn of events, India’s middle-order batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara, who currently leads Sussex in Division II of the County Championship, has been handed a one-match ban. Simultaneously, Sussex Cricket Club faces a significant 12-point penalty after receiving their fourth fixed penalty of the season. These penalties were incurred during their recent victory over Leicestershire at Hove, raising eyebrows across the cricketing community.
As per the County Championships’ rules, accumulating four penalties during a season automatically triggers a 12-point deduction. This punishment is outlined under regulation 4.29 of the Professional Conduct Regulations. Additionally, regulation 3.0 specifies that the captain who led the side during the matches where penalties were received would also face a one-match suspension when crossing the four-penalty threshold. This development has sent shockwaves through English media circles.
Sussex entered the game against Leicestershire with two fixed penalties already against them. Cheteshwar Pujara received the first penalty when he was reprimanded for “wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment, or implements used in the match” during Sussex’s initial match of the season against Durham. Subsequently, Tom Haines faced reprimand during a fixture against Yorkshire in April. In the recent match against Leicestershire, Haines found himself in the spotlight again, as the umpires reported him for a Level One offence. Jack Carson also joined the list by receiving an individual fixed penalty for a Level Two offence, involving inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another player. In light of these incidents, both Haines and Carson have been dropped from Sussex’s squad for their upcoming match against Derbyshire. Furthermore, an investigation is underway concerning Ari Karvelas.
Despite the controversy, Cheteshwar Pujara has been in exceptional form for Sussex this season, amassing three centuries and boasting an average of 54.08. Tom Alsop will take over the captaincy for Sussex’s match against Derbyshire, scheduled for Tuesday. Pujara is expected to make his return to the selection pool in the final round of matches.
Paul Farbrace, Sussex’s head coach, expressed his disappointment, stating, “It is a great shame that these incidents have tarnished what was a fantastic game against Leicestershire, and all the hard work that has gone into the season. I am disappointed for our fantastic members and supporters and can assure them we will be working hard to make sure we are not in this position again.” He continued, “Ultimately, it has cost us the availability of Cheteshwar, and we have been deducted 12 points. We have also decided it is not appropriate for Ari Karvelas to be made available for selection until the investigation that is in place has been concluded. This provides other players in our squad with a great opportunity to show they can perform at this level and, more importantly, contribute towards the team challenge to win matches in the County Championship.”
Please note that this article is published from a syndicated news agency feed and has not been edited by Smartkhabrinews staff.