WI coach Law suspended for first two ODIs against India

Coach Stuart Law has been suspended from West Indies’ first two ODIs against India, and will not be allowed to share the dressing room with the team. Law was fined 100% of his match fees and earned three demerit points for a breach of the ICC’s code of conduct during the second Test against India in Hyderabad.

Law was already carrying a demerit point from a previous sanction in May 2017, from a Test against Pakistan in Dominica. Having reached the threshold of four demerit points, Law earned two suspension points in accordance with Article 7.6 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which means he misses either one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whichever comes first.

The incident occurred after West Indies opener Kieran Powell had been given out on the third and final day of the second Test. Powell fell to a low catch in the slips by Ajinkya Rahane, and the third umpire ruled that Rahane had caught the ball cleanly after watching numerous replays. According to an ICC release, Law went to the third umpire’s room and made “inappropriate comments”. He then “walked to the fourth umpire’s area and, in the presence of the players, again directed inappropriate comments at the fourth official.”

Law was found guilty of breaching Level 2 Article 2.7 of the ICC code of conduct, 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”.

Law accepted the offence and the sanction, so there was no need of a formal hearing by the ICC.

The suspension will cut short Law’s remaining time with West Indies. The tour of India is his penultimate assignment as West Indies coach. The Australian, who will turn 50 on Thursday, had announced he would quit his position once West Indies completed their tours of India and Bangladesh, and move to England to take charge of Middlesex.

This is the second time in the last three months that an international coach has been suspended, with Sri Lanka’s Chandika Hathurusingha also forced to miss matches due to ICC sanctions over a ball-tampering offence. (ESPNCricinfo)