South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince and player Kyle Verreynne have both received official reprimands for breaching Level 1 of the International Cricket Council Code of Conduct during the third Test against Australia in Cape Town. The disciplinary action followed an incident on the third day of the fixture involving the dismissal of opening batsman Marques Ackerman.
According to the official governing body release, the controversy unfolded after Ackerman was given out caught during South Africa’s second innings. The batter attempted to initiate a review of the decision, but match umpires ruled that the appeal was lodged outside the mandatory 15-second time frame. As Ackerman began walking toward the boundary rope, coach Ashwell Prince persistently shouted at the match officials, arguing that sufficient time remained on the clock to complete the review.
Sanctions and Disciplinary Records
Simultaneously, Kyle Verreynne—who was not named in the playing eleven for the match—instructed Ackerman to halt near the boundary rope, contributing to an unnecessary delay in the batter leaving the field of play. Both individuals admitted to the Level 1 infractions and formally accepted the proposed sanctions, rendering formal hearings unnecessary.
- Offence Article: Breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct relating to showing dissent at umpire decisions.
- Demerit Points: One demerit point was added to the individual disciplinary records of both Prince and Verreynne.
- Match Referee: The proposed sanctions were officially handed down by Javagal Srinath of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.
- Match Officials: The charges were officially leveled by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough, alongside third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Lubabalo Gcuma.
Match Context and Penalties
The penalties mark the first official disciplinary offences for both Prince and Verreynne within a rolling 24-month period. Under the governing body guidelines, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum fine reaching up to 50 percent of the applicable player match fee, alongside one or two demerit points. The incident highlights the strict enforcement of time limits surrounding Decision Review System protocols in international red-ball fixtures, leaving teams under heightened scrutiny regarding conduct during controversial dismissals.
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