South Africa vs England: Jos Buttler fined 15 percent match fee for verbally abusing Vernon Philander during second Test

Cape Town: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler was fined 15 percent of his match fee on Thursday for verbally abusing South Africa allrounder Vernon Philander during the second Test between the teams at Newlands. The incident happened when Philander was batting at the crease and Buttler was behind the stumps.

“England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the fifth day of the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town,” said the ICC statement.

The ICC said Buttler breached the governing body’s code of conduct by using an “audible obscenity” toward Philander while the South African was batting on Day 5 of the Test.

In addition this the fine, Buttler has also received one demerit point for breaching the code of conduct. ICC statement said, “One demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Buttler, for whom it was the first offence during a 24-month period.”

The charges were leveled by on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Chris Gaffaney and reserve umpire Allahudien Palekar.

England won by 189 runs on Tuesday to tie the four-match series at 1-1. The next Test match starts on 16 January and will be played in Port Elizabeth.

With inputs from The Associated Press