London: In an unprecedented move, Sussex fast bowler Mitch Claydon has been banned for nine matches by the ECB, after using sanitizer on the ball during during a Bob Willis Trophy game against Middlesex.
“Mitch Claydon is suspended pending the outcome of an ECB allegation of placing hand sanitiser on the ball in our match against Middlesex,” a statement from Sussex read at the time. “There will be no further comment at this stage.”
The Australia-born cricketer has pleaded guilty for breaching ECB directives 3.3 and 3.7. The nine-match suspension for the bowler includes the T20 blast quarter-final too. With the Susses Sharks out of the T20 blast, it means that Claydon will miss first two matches of the 2021 season as well.
Here’s what the directives say:
3.3 No Participant may conduct themselves in a manner or do any act or omission at any time which is improper or which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.
3.7 Contravention of the Bob Willis Trophy Playing Conditions 5 or 41.2 … shall be regarded as (i) unfair and improper conduct; and (ii) conduct prejudicial to the interests of cricket and likely to bring the game into disrepute.
