Moeen Ali caught by TV camera illegally drying his hand with a spray in shock Ashes controversy
ENGLAND star Moeen Ali has landed himself in an Ashes controversy after being caught on camera breaking the rules.
The 36-year-old was spotted on camera illegally drying his hand with a spray during the clash with Australia.
Ali has now been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point after admitting to using an unauthorised drying agent on his bowling hand in the first Ashes Test.
In announcing the decision, the International Cricket Council accepted Moeen used the spray to dry his hands and not in an attempt to alter the condition of the ball.
But umpires had expressly prohibited players from using any agents to their hands without prior approval.
An ICC statement said: “England player Moeen Ali has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the first Test against Australia in Birmingham on Saturday.
“Ali was found to have breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to displaying conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.
“In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Ali’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.”
The incident is similar to that of India’s Ravindra Jadeja.
He was accused of cheating back in February after he was spotted applying something to his finger during the Test against Australia.
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It later emerged that he had applied a soothing cream to his finger.
But, like Ali, he had not sought the umpire’s permission.
Jadeja was also fined 25 per cent of his match fee.
Off-spinner Ali retired from Test cricket two years ago but he returned to answer an SOS from England for the Ashes.
That was after Jack Leach suffered a stress fracture of the back and was ruled out.
Ali said before he action got underway: “Stokesy messaged me with a question mark…. ‘Ashes?’
“I hadn’t heard the news about Leachy at the time so I just said ‘LOL’, thinking he’s taking the mick. The news then came through and I had a chat with him. That was it.
“I’ve obviously spent a lot of time with Stokesy in India during the IPL.
“He didn’t mention anything about coming out of retirement, it was just about the Ashes and how he was looking to take the team.
“He obviously watched me train out there and thinks I can bowl decently.”
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