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Jadeja guilty, but appeal looms

BCCI believes spinner was not at fault

Indian allrounder Ravindra Jadeja has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game", the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.

However, the BCCI has not ruled out lodging an appeal.

Jadeja, 25, was involved in an incident with England seamer James Anderson during the lunch break on the second day of the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge on July 10.

England charged Jadeja with a level two offence under the ICC's code of conduct in retaliation for India bringing a more serious level three charge against Anderson for allegedly "abusing and pushing" Jadeja.

ICC match referee David Boon of Australia - following a two-and-a-half hour hearing in Southampton on Thursday involving both players, their lawyers and respective cricket board representatives - downgraded Jadeja's offence to level one status.

While a level two infringement could have led to Jadeja being banned for at least one match, the maximum penalty for a level one breach is 50 per cent of a player's match fee.

"While I was in no doubt that confrontation did occur, and that such conduct was not in the spirit of the game and should not have taken place, I was not comfortably satisfied that this was a level two offence," Boon said in an ICC statement.

"Therefore, in exercising my discretion under Article 7.6.5 of the Code and having heard all the evidence, I was comfortably satisfied that Mr Jadeja had committed a level one offence under Article 2.1.8 of the code."

But a statement released by the BCCI means the Jadeja case may not be finished with yet.

"The BCCI has taken note of the ICC Match Referee’s decision to find Ravindra Jadeja guilty of a Level 1 ‘Breach of Conduct’ for his involvement in an incident on the second day of the Nottingham Test of the ongoing series between India and England," said the BCCI, in their statement.

"The BCCI wishes to make it clear that it is not satisfied with the verdict. The BCCI reserves its right to appeal against the sentence.

"The BCCI believes that Mr. Ravindra Jadeja was not at fault, and supports him fully."

Anderson's case will be dealt with in a separate hearing under ICC code of conduct commissioner Gordon Lewis on August 1 - the day after the third Test of a five-match England-India series in Southampton is due to finish.

Both Anderson and Jadeja are free to play in Southampton.

But if Anderson was hit with a maximum four Test-ban, that would rule him out of next month's fourth Test at Old Trafford and the series finale at The Oval.

India lead the series 1-0 after their 95-run win in the second Test at Lord's on Monday, the match ending with Jadeja's run-out of Anderson after which the players were seen shaking hands.