South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has been slapped with another demerit point for violating the ICC Code of Conduct during a recent match against Sri Lanka.
The incident occurred during the first ODI of the ICC Women’s Championship series held in East London on April 9th. Kapp’s misdemeanor took place in the 44th over of South Africa’s innings when she used inappropriate language following her dismissal.
This transgression falls under Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which specifically addresses the “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.”
This is not Kapp’s first offence; it is her second within a 24-month period, which now adds up to a total of two demerit points against her record.
Earlier in the month, Kapp had received her initial demerit point during the third Women’s T20I against Sri Lanka. In both instances, she admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Shandre Fritz of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, thus avoiding the need for a formal hearing.
The charge against Kapp was leveled by on-field umpires Karren Klaaste and Jacquline Williams, along with third umpire Lauren Agenbag and fourth umpire Thomas Mokorosi.
As per ICC regulations, Level 1 breaches carry penalties ranging from an official reprimand to a maximum of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points.
Shifting focus to the match itself, South Africa batted first and set a challenging target of 271 runs within their allotted 50 overs. The innings was anchored by a splendid century from Tazmin Brits, showcasing the team’s batting prowess. However, despite their strong performance, the game ended in a no result due to inclement weather conditions.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, including Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, and Kavisha Dilhari, played commendably, each picking up two wickets to restrict South Africa’s scoring opportunities. Despite the disruption caused by the rain, both teams displayed remarkable sportsmanship and resilience on the field.
