Rafique fined over bust-up with Whatmore

Mohammad Rafique, the Bangladesh left-arm spinner, has been fined 75% of his match-fee after a verbal duel with Dav Whatmore, the coach, during the current tour of Sri Lanka, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Rafique had "arguments" with Whatmore over his knee injury during a practice session in Colombo, Mohsena Hassan, a BCB spokesperson, told AFP. "The management of the touring team fined him 75% of his match-fee of the next Test he plays for Bangladesh after conducting a hearing on the incident that occurred on Tuesday."

Bangladesh, who were whitewashed in the one-day series, will now play two Tests in Sri Lanka. The first match begins in Colombo on September 12. "The manager and captain took a serious view of the verbal exchange and the attitude shown [by the player]," a BCB statement said, adding it also considered the player's previous record before taking the decision.

Rafique was sent home from Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe last year after a quarrel with Habibul Bashar, the captain. The BCB spokesperson said the spinner regretted the incident and apologised for his behaviour. Rafique, 35, was named the country's Cricketer of the Year early this year. He is its leading wicket-taker, with 68 scalps in 20 Tests and 71 in 82 one-dayers.