Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Ashraful in happier times © AFP Enlarge

Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim of Bangladesh have been fined for excessive appealing during the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong which finished on Tuesday. The incident took place during the 78th over of Sri Lanka's second innings when an appeal for a caught behind was turned down by umpire Nigel Llong.

Mushfiqur, the wicketkeeper, had appealed confidently believing Tillakaratne Dilshan had edged the ball off the bowling of Mehrab Hossain jnr. He ran towards the umpire while appealing before stopping about six metres in front of the batsman. Ashraful, the captain, too joined the appeal from his position at midwicket and stood near the pitch after the appeal was rejected. Replays showed the bat hitting Dilshan's body but no conclusive evidence of an edge.

Ashraful was guilty of breaching Level 1.5 of the Code of Conduct and was fined 15% of his match fee. Jeff Crowe, the ICC match referee, had spoken to Ashraful following similar actions in the first Test in Mirpur. Mushfiqur copped a heavier fine and was docked 50% of his match fee for violating Level 2.5 of the code which deals with "charging or advancing towards the umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing".

Dilshan, on 51at that time, went on to score 143, his second century of the match. Sri Lanka won the Test by 465 runs and swept the series 2-0.