Former England Test batsman and current Melbourne Stars marquee cricketer, Kevin Pietersen, has been hit with a fine for on-air comments he made during a match.
Pietersen has featured as a regular part of Network Ten’s coverage of the domestic T20 competition this summer, being mic’d up during games.
In the second innings of the first Big Bash league final between the Perth Scorchers and Pietersen’s Stars, the 36-year-old had described an umpire’s choice to controversially deem Sam Whiteman not out after a caught behind appeal, as an “absolute shocker”.
“He said it could have been glove or it could have been pad. I said ‘Well, he’s got big gloves and big pads to reach that’”, Pietersen had told Ten’s commentators.
Cricket Australia fined Pietersen $5000, citing a “public or media comment that is detrimental to the interest of cricket, irrespective of when or where such comment is made”.
Pietersen agreed to the charge. Yet he unsuccessfully challenged the fine on the 2nd of February.
He will now have two days to lodge an application to appeal.
After the original incident, former international umpire Peter Parker had called for the Stars batsman to be suspended.
Pietersen has been no stranger to controversy throughout his career, having had his international career ended due to off-field issues despite maintaining solid on-field form.
felix
Guest
An "absolute shocker" would be if he did eventually get fined,should of said that's a brilliant decision by the empire even if it was a SHOCKER!!.
A keeper
Guest
And the fact that the umpire did make a bad call is besides the point?
Jacko
Guest
If this is true its pathetic. Fine Boof for his derogatory comments. Fine the commentators every time they say a decision is wrong. The people running this comp are a massive joke and it appears they dont want the international players in this comp. Joke Joke Joke ( and not funny)
bigbaz
Roar Guru
No wonder cricket these days is a personality free zone.
Mike from tari
Guest
How come it has taken so long to come to this decision, why didn't the match referee fine him soon after the game ended, bloody slack officiating from officials, oh they might all be in NZ watching the cricket.