Broad warned by ICC over antics

England bowler Stuart Broad has been warned by the International Cricket Council about his attempts to distract batsmen at the World Twenty20.

South Africa thrashed England on Thursday but skipper Graeme Smith complained about Broad looking away and pointing halfway through his run-up.

Match referee Alan Hurst and umpires Steve Davis and Alan Hill have decided it was "not an appropriate action".

England skipper Paul Collingwood felt Broad's behaviour was "fine".

He added: "I think the game is moving on. People are coming up with different techniques with the bat, fielding techniques and you are seeing things that audiences have not seen before.

"It's the way the game is moving and as long as it's in the spirit (of the game) it's fine and I think it is.

"New techniques and theories are going to be produced and things like this are going to happen and people are going to find different ways of putting a batsman off."

Seamer Broad attempted to unsettle AB de Villiers in the 16th over of South Africa's reply on Thursday, throwing his left arm out as he ran in to bowl as if pointing to a fielder.

The tactic failed to work as De Villiers worked the ball behind square and South Africa went on to record a crushing seven-wicket win.

But that did not stop Smith calling for the ICC to look at Broad's antics.

"We saw it happen from the dugout. The match referees need to discuss that, it needs clarifying," he said.

"I don't know what the rules stipulate, whether it's in the spirit of the game is a tough one."

Smith's view appears to be supported by Law 42.4 of the Laws of Cricket, which states: "It is unfair for any member of the fielding side deliberately to attempt to distract the striker while he is preparing to receive or receiving a delivery."


The authorities must surely be regretting putting Collingwood in charge of the England team again! He lost the job previously because of his lack of sportsmanship and failure to understand 'the spirit of the game', and now this latest attempt to condone blatant cheating that has been condemned by the world cricket authorities!

But Broad has been doing this in test matches as well so Straus must also know about it, not just Colly.

Remember Gough used to stick his tongue out and widen his eyes when running up to bowl? Not a word said as far as I recall.

You will soon find loads of bowlers trying to copy or do something else to put the batsmen off.

It is also more likely to put Broad off his delivery stride, if he is breaking his run up routine - de Villiers should be concentrating on the ball by the time Broad is halfway through his run up. Smith is just upset that he's not as hated by the England fans as he used to be, I reckon.

Never actually witnessed the incident but is it ''making a mountain of of a molehill''..
K.R.O.