ICC fines Denesh Ramdin over Richards protest

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West Indies wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee for celebrating his hundred in the third Test against England here at Edgbaston with a protest against Caribbean cricket great Vivian Richards.

Upon reaching the landmark on the fourth day on Sunday, Ramdin held up a piece of paper with the words: 'YEA VIV, TALK NAH'.

That was in response to comments from West Indies great Richards who, commentating on this series for BBC Radio, said Ramdin had ‘deteriorated in such a big way’ and looked a ‘totally lost guy’ after making just one and six during a nine-wicket defeat in the second Test at Trent Bridge, a result that gave England an unassailable 2-0 lead in this three-match series.

But at Edgbaston yesterday, Ramdin made 107 not out and shared an extraordinary last-wicket stand of 143 with Tino Best, whose 95 was the highest innings by any No 11 batsman in a Test match.

Ramdin admitted he'd been ‘emotional’ after play on Sunday as he sought to defuse any lingering tension with former West Indies captain Richards, one of cricket's greatest batsmen.

But after the third Test was drawn – Monday's final day became the third out of five to be washed out without a ball bowled – match referee Roshan Mahanama announced he'd taken disciplinary action under the International Cricket Council code of conduct after charges were laid by on-field field umpires Tony Hill and Kumar Dharmasena and third umpire Aleem Dar, as well as fourth official David Millns.

"It is important that we do not allow a precedent to be set with such a premeditated celebration by Mr Ramdin," Mahanama said in an ICC statement.

"We all understand the importance of celebrating a milestone, however, one should not use that time as an opportunity to hit out at one's critic or send messages to the world."