On his 36th birthday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined England all-rounder Moeen Ali 25 percent of his match fee in the ongoing first Ashes 2023 Test against Australia. It was a bitter start to his birthday, on June 18, as he received the news of the ICC levying charges on him for finding him guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct and handing one demerit point on his return to Test cricket after two years.
“Moeen Ali was found to have breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to displaying conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game,” the ICC said.
“One demerit point has been added to Moeen’s disciplinary record for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. This was the England all-rounder’s first offence in the past 24 months.”
Why did ICC fine Moeen Ali in first Ashes Test?
On the second day of the Edgbaston Test, Moeen Ali had used a “drying spray” on his hand before coming on to bowl. He didn’t have any prior permission from the umpires of using this drying spray.
The incident occurred during the 89th over of Australia’s first innings at Edgbaston when Moeen Ali was seen applying a drying agent to his bowling hand near the boundary line while fielding.
Since the all-rounder admitted to the offence and accepted the charges by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
After reviewing the incident, the ICC said, the Match Referee was satisfied that the cream was applied to the finger only to dry his hands, and not in order to tamper the ball. The cream was not applied as an artificial substance to the ball and consequently, it did not change the condition of the ball, which would have been in breach of clause 41.3 of the ICC playing conditions – Unfair Play – The Match Ball – Changing its Condition.
Moeen Ali is returning to Test cricket after two years of exile as he’d retired a couple of years ago. But just ahead of the Ashes, after Jack Leach got injured and was ruled out, Ben Stokes asked Moeen to comeback, marking an interesting turn of events in Ali’s career.
It has been a bittersweet comeback for Moeen Ali so far. With the bat, he cracked 18 runs off 17 balls and perished why trying to slog Lyon. With the ball, he’s been England’s most expensive bowler, leaking 147 runs in 33 overs, but also took two important wickets of Head and Green.