MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec 23, CMC – Cricket Australia on Sunday charged Brisbane Heat coach Darren Lehmann for breaching its Code of Conduct after he accused West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels of throwing.
In a statement, the country’s governing body for cricket said Lehmann had infringed Rule 9 regarding “detrimental public comment”, when he called the off-spinner’s action into question following a Big Bash game on Saturday.
According to CA, players and officials must not “denigrate or criticise another player or denigrate or criticise an official, umpire, referee or team against which they have played or will play, whether in relation to incidents which occurred in a match or otherwise; denigrate or criticise another player or official by inappropriately commenting on any aspect of his or her performance, abilities or characteristics.”
Cricket Australia said no date for the hearing had been set.
Lehmann’s criticism came following the Heat’s six-wicket loss to Samuels’s Melbourne Renegades at Docklands Stadium.
During the game, Samuels sent down four right overs that cost just 18 runs, to help restrict the Heat to an inadequate 133 for eight after they opted to bat first.
Lehman was particularly upset by Samuels’s faster ball.
“I’ve spoken to the umpires about it. I just want something done,” an upset Lehman complained afterward.
“He couldn’t bowl in the IPL (Indian Premier League) last year, yet he can bowl in the BBL. We’ve got to seriously look at what we’re doing. Are we here to play cricket properly or what.
“If he’s deemed legal, I’m totally understanding of that. But from my point of view from 20 years’ cricket, I’ve got a problem with 120 kilometres per hour off no steps.”
Samuels’s action was reported while playing for Pune Warriors in the IPL earlier this year, with his notorious faster ball coming under scrutiny.
