JOIN USAnderson is not guilty
Gordon Lewis, the ICC appointed Judicial Commissioner, found both Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson not guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct after a six-hour hearing on Friday.
"The Judicial Commissioner reached his decisions following a six-hour hearing, which took place via videoconference," the ICC said in a release. "Witnesses, including some Indian and English players, provided evidence and were cross-examined by the respective legal counsels,” it added.
Now, Anderson would be available for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, beginning on August 7, and if he was found guilty then the Lancashire pacer would have been banned for at least two Tests. Neither team is allowed to appeal the verdict, as only the ICC Chief Executive has the right to challenge the ruling.
The hearing was held at India’s team hotel in Southampton and Lewis joined the proceedings from Australia via Skype. Anderson was facing Level 3 charge for allegedly pushing and abusing Jadeja during the lunch break on the second day of the first Test at Trent Bridge. Indian team manager Sunil Dev laid the charge against Anderson.
Jadeja, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher, physiotherapist Evan Speechly attended the hearing for India along with their lawyer Adam Lewis QC. Apart from Dhoni, R Ashwin and Gautam Gambhir too were present as witnesses for India. Anderson, captain Alastair Cook, and lawyer Nick de Marco represented England. Matt Prior and Ben Stokes were England’s witnesses.
From the administrative level, Sundar Raman and MV Sridhar represented the Board of Control for Cricket in India, while Paul Downton appeared for England and Wales Cricket Board. The team managers of India and England too attended the hearing. Sally Clark, the International Cricket Council Ethics and Regulatory lawyer, was also present.
England had counter-charged Jadeja with a Level 2 offence for making aggressive advances towards Anderson at Nottingham. ICC match referee David Boon had fined the all-rounder 50 per cent of his match fee after reducing the charge to a Level 1 offence.
Usually, Level 1 offences do not carry an appeal, but the ICC allowed India the right to appeal against Boon’s verdict.
Bhuvneshwar injured
Medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has suffered a swollen ankle, and will be keenly watched ahead of India’s fourth Test, starting at Old Trafford on August 7.
“It doesn’t look serious at the moment. But we will keep a close watch on him ahead of the Test,” said a support staff.
Pacer Ishant Sharma had already been ruled out of the fourth Test with a sore leg, while reserve wicketkeeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha too has injured his finger, and has been ruled out of the series. Naman Ojha has been called in as his replacement.
Indian skipper MS Dhoni had said Bhuvneshwar was looking a bit tired during the third Test at the Ageas Bowl. The Uttar Pradesh medium pacer is the second most successful bowler along with England’s Moeen Ali with 15 wickets.