South Africa’s dynamic all-rounder Marizanne Kapp found herself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons during the first One Day International (ODI) of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Sri Lanka in East London.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) reprimanded her for violating Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, marking her second offense within a 24-month period.
Kapp’s transgression, according to the ICC, was breaching Article 2.3 of the Code, which deals with the “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.” This has resulted in an additional demerit point being added to her disciplinary record, bringing her total to two.
Notably, Kapp had previously received her first demerit point during the third Women’s T20I against Sri Lanka earlier in the same month. Her repeated infractions indicate a need for greater discipline on her part.
However, Kapp accepted responsibility for her actions and agreed to the penalty suggested by Shandre Fritz of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees. Consequently, there was no requirement for a formal hearing.
The charge against Kapp was leveled by the on-field umpires Karren Klaaste and Jacquline Williams, with support from third umpire Lauren Agenbag, and fourth umpire Thomas Mokorosi. Such incidents underline the importance of maintaining discipline and decorum on the field, as per the regulations set forth by the ICC.
Level 1 breaches carry a range of penalties, including an official reprimand, a fine of up to 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. Kapp’s repeated breaches highlight the seriousness with which such conduct is viewed within the cricketing community.
Turning to the action on the field, South Africa, led by Kapp’s teammates, set a challenging target of 271 runs in their allotted 50 overs. Tazmin Brits stood out with a magnificent century, guiding her team’s batting effort.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, and Kavisha Dilhari, put in commendable performances, each claiming two wickets. Despite their efforts, rain intervened, leading to the match ending without a result.
The weather interruption denied both teams a chance to see the game through to its conclusion, leaving the series opener unresolved. Nevertheless, the spotlight remains on Kapp, who must now demonstrate greater discipline and restraint in future matches to avoid further sanctions from the ICC.
