Melbourne, Australia – Veteran leg-spinner Shane Warne has been fined $5,000 for acting “against the spirit of cricket” during the semi-finals of Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 League.
Warne captained the Melbourne Stars throughout the league but passed the captaincy to teammate James Warner in a semi-final against the Perth Scorchers to avoid a possible suspension for Melbourne's slow over rate.
Cricket Australia deemed the captaincy switch to be a code of conduct violation after previously warning teams “if a team's official captain is selected but not named as captain...this may attract a code of behaviour charge.”
Warne had previously been warned over Melbourne's slow over rate and faced a one-match suspension for a second offence. – Sapa-AP