De Villiers suspended for two ODIs for slow over rate

South Africa captain AB de Villiers has been suspended for two ODIs while his teammates have been fined 100 per cent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over rate during their one-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first ODI in Paarl.

David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension after the Proteas were ruled to be six overs short of their target at the end of the match on Saturday when time allowances were taken into consideration.

De Villiers pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction so there was no need for a formal hearing.

In accordance with Article 2.5.2 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with serious over rate offences, the captain receives two suspension points while the players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for each of the first two overs short and 20 per cent for every additional over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Two suspension points in the Code equates to a suspension from one Test or two ODIs, to be applied to the subsequent international matches in which the player sanctioned is most likely to participate in.

As such, de Villiers has been suspended for the next two ODIs to be played in Kimberley and Potchefstroom on January 22 and 25, respectively, while his players have been fined 100 per cent of their match fees.

If de Villiers is found guilty of a second serious over rate offence in an ODI over the next 12 months, he will receive a sanction of between two and eight suspension points as per the provisions of the Code.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Enamul Haque-Moni and Shaun George, third umpire Aleem Dar and fourth official Johan Cloete.

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