South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince and batter Kyle Verreynne have been handed official reprimands and one demerit point each by the International Cricket Council. The penalties follow breaches of Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third Test match against Australia in Cape Town.
The disciplinary action stems from an incident on the third day of the fixture during South Africa’s second innings, centering on the dismissal of opening batsman Marques Ackerman. Ackerman was caught behind by wicketkeeper-fielder Cameron Green off the bowling of Mitchell Starc, prompting an attempted review from the batter that was ultimately disallowed by the on-field umpires.
Disciplinary Infractions and Official Sanctions
According to the official match reports, the umpires ruled that the mandatory 15-second time limit to challenge the decision had already lapsed when Ackerman tried to ask for a review. As the batsman began walking toward the pavilion, coach Ashwell Prince engaged in heated protests, shouting repeatedly that sufficient time remained on the clock. Meanwhile, reserve player Kyle Verreynne instructed Ackerman to remain inside the boundary line, creating an avoidable delay in the player’s departure from the playing area.
- Prince and Verreynne breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision.
- Both individuals accepted the official sanctions proposed by match referee Javagal Srinath.
- One demerit point was added to each person’s disciplinary record for their first offense over a 24-month period.
- The charges were formally leveled by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough, alongside third umpire Chris Gaffaney.
Match Officials and Regulatory Context
The situation highlights strict regulatory enforcement by match officials regarding player and support staff conduct during high-stakes international red-ball fixtures. Fourth umpire Lubabalo Gcuma also joined the officiating team in reporting the infractions after the conclusion of the days play. Because both men immediately admitted to their respective code violations and accepted the proposed penalties without contesting the charges, formal hearings were successfully averted under standard ICC protocols for minor disciplinary infractions.
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