Replays showed that the ball bounced inches short of Dickwella’s gloves

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been fined 10 per cent of his match fee after claiming a catch that bounced in front of him.

The 21-year-old debutant admitted to a Level 1 breach of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code of Conduct and was charged under Article 2.1.8, which relates to conduct that is “contrary to the spirit of the game” or “brings the game into disrepute”.

The incident occurred in the 59th over of South Africa’s first innings when batsman AB de Villiers gloved a delivery from Suranga Lakmal down the leg side. Despite catching the ball after it had bounced, Dickwella immediately threw the ball up in the air and appealed.

Unsure about whether it was out initially, the on-field umpires, Nigel Llong and Richard Kettleborough, signalled for the third umpire to take a look.

Billy Bowden, who was the third umpire, saw conclusive evidence that the ball had bounced inches short of Dickwella’s gloves and gave it not out.