Cricket / Third Test: De Villiers receives rap across knuckles
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THERE was some talk at The Oval yesterday about having a players' whip-round to pay Michael Atherton's fine, but if the hat went anywhere near South Africa's pace bowler, Fanie de Villiers, the collection would not have been increased by much more than a couple of buttons and a Polo mint, writes Martin Johnson.
De Villiers followed the England captain into the match referee's notebook for dissent, and he, like Atherton, would not have sustained much of an injury had he then dropped his wallet on his toe. The South African was fined 25 per cent of his match fee for dissent, another 70 per cent for his team's over-rate fine, and the five per cent left amounted to pounds 30.
Peter Burge, the International Cricket Council referee who fined Atherton 50 per cent of his match fee on Friday (around pounds 1,500) wielded the stick again yesterday, when De Villiers disagreed with umpire Ken Palmer's not-out decision for a caught-behind appeal against Graeme Hick.
De Villiers, in a manner far from uncommon nowadays, ran down the pitch to congratulate the wicketkeeper, without having first confirmed that the umpire shared his opinion, and when Palmer's finger remained holstered, De Villiers turned and threw up both arms in disbelief.
Palmer and the independent New Zealand umpire, Steve Dunne, both reported the incident, although after Burge's heavy-handed treatment of Atherton, a fine would have been inevitable. As this was the first time De Villiers has appeared before an ICC beak, Burge went for the 25 per cent knuckle-rap rather than Atherton's 50 per cent smacked bottom. Even so, it is just as preposterous.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments