Darren Sammy Fined and Penalized for Criticizing Umpire Decisions

Darren Sammy Faces Sanctions for Umpire Criticism

Darren Sammy, the head coach of the West Indies cricket team, has received a demerit point along with a 15% fine on his match fee after he publicly questioned the decisions made by third umpire Adrian Holdstock during the first Test match against Australia in Barbados. Sammy expressed concerns about perceived bias in the umpiring, which led match referee Javagal Srinath to impose the sanctions, a decision that Sammy has accepted.

This incident falls under Level 1 of the Code of Conduct, specifically violating Article 2.7, which addresses public criticism or inappropriate comments regarding incidents in international matches or concerning players, support personnel, match officials, or teams.

This marks the first disciplinary offense for Sammy within a two-year period, resulting in a demerit point added to his record. He accepted the penalties after being charged by on-field umpires Richard Kettleborough and Nitin Menon, along with third umpire Adrian Holdstock and fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite.

Details of Sammy's Concerns

After the second day of play, Sammy approached the match referee to voice his concerns about what he perceived as a pattern of unfavorable umpiring decisions against his team. The controversy centered around two key decisions: an LBW call against Roston Chase by Pat Cummins and a catch involving Shai Hope against Travis Head. Following the day's play, Sammy remarked,

"You don't want to get yourself in a situation where you're wondering about certain umpires. Is there something against this team? But when you see decision after decision, then it raises the question."

Chase also appealed to the ICC to take action against the umpires for their questionable decision-making. In the match, Australia triumphed over the West Indies by 159 runs, with Josh Hazlewood taking five wickets and Travis Head contributing with two fifties.