India vs West Indies: Windies coach Stuart Law suspended for two ODIs for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

The Windies’ coach Stuart Law has been suspended for two One Day Internationals (ODI) by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a breach of the cricket body’s Code of Conduct, the body announced on Tuesday. Law has been handed a 100 percent fine and three demerit points for an outburst during third, which also turned out to be the final day of second Test against India at Hyderabad. As a result, Law has now accumulated four demerit points within a 24-month period, leading to the two-match ban. He will miss Windies’ first two ODIs against India in Guwahati and Visakhapatnam respectively. [caption id=“attachment_4418301” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Windies coach Stuart Law. Image courtesy: Twitter @westindies[/caption] ICC in its press release said, Law was found guilty of breaching Level 2 Article 2.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct. “During Sunday’s play in the Hyderabad Test, Law was found guilty of breaching Level 2 Article 2.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to ‘Public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in an International Match or any Player, Player Support Personnel, Match Official or team participating in any International Match, irrespective of when such criticism or inappropriate comment is made’,” said ICC. The incident mentioned above took place in the afternoon session of third day’s play, when Law went to the TV umpire’s room after Kieran Powell’s dismissal and made inappropriate comments. He also went to the fourth umpire’s area and directed inappropriate comments at him, in the presence of players. Law has admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Chris Broad, the Match Referee for second Test. The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Ian Gould, third umpire Nigel Llong and fourth official Nitin Menon. Law, who received three demerit points for the incident on Sunday, had accumulated one demerit point and 25 percent fine in May 2017, during the final day’s play in the Dominica Test against Pakistan. According to ICC regulations, accumulation of four demerit points within a 24-month period would lead to a two-match ban. If Law reaches the next threshold of eight or more demerit points within a 24-month period, then they will be converted into four suspension points. Four suspension points equate to a ban from one Test and two ODIs or two T20Is, two Tests or four ODIs or four T20Is, whatever comes first. Level 2 breaches come with a fine of 50 to 100 per cent of the match fee or upto two suspension points. The five-match ODI series between India and Windies starts from 21 October.