Pacer Reece Topley has been fined 15% of his match fee after reacting angrily to an injury setback during the first T20I match of England’s tour of the West Indies in 2024.
Topley injured his right knee while bowling in the series opener on Saturday. Despite trying to continue after a rain delay, he was forced to leave the field after just one more delivery.
The injury added to Topley’s history of setbacks in his career. After leaving the field, Topley was seen picking up a chair and smashing it on the handrail of the staircase leading to the player’s pavilion, a reaction similar to the one he done during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Mumbai.
He swiped a chair after suffering a broken finger, which ended his tournament. With the full extent of Topley’s injury is not known yet, it was serious enough to rule him out of England’s second match in the series, which they won by seven wickets.
Topley’s career has been plagued by injuries, including a serious back stress fracture and an ankle injury during a practice match in Brisbane that kept him out of England’s 2022 T20 World Cup campaign.
According to ICC code of conduct, Topley was alleged with level 1 breach of the code of conduct, under the article 2.2, relating to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
Topley accepted the charge levelled by match officials, including on-field umpires Leslie Reifer and Zahid Bassarath, third umpire Gregory Brathwaite, and fourth umpire Deighton Butler and the proposed sanction by Richie Richardson, the ICC’s match referee and hence no formal hearing was required.
Along with the fine, Topley received one demerit point which is his first in the past 24 months. If a player accumulates four or more demerit points within that period, they will face a suspension.
England won the first two matches of the T20I series and meanwhile West Indies has made some changes in the squad as Andre Russell ruled out due to injury while Alzarri Joseph will be returning to squad after two match suspension.
The third match of the T20I series will be played on November 15 at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.
