Akhtar appeal rejected by Benaud

Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar will miss one Test Match and two One-Day Internationals following a decision today by ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner Richie Benaud to reject his appeal against a ban imposed by Clive Lloyd.

The decision means that Akhtar will not be eligible for his side's second Test against South Africa starting in Faisalabad on Friday.

Dismissing the appeal, the former Australia captain and esteemed broadcaster Mr Benaud endorsed the manner in which ICC match referee Mr Lloyd had conducted the hearing on Friday 17 October.

"In my view, the reason for the implementing of the ICC Code, is so Captains in particular and Players in general, will embrace the Preamble to the Laws of Cricket, which makes quite clear what is required of them on the field," said Benaud in his judgement.

"The appeal I am asked to determine relates to the sentence imposed by Mr Lloyd, not to the actual offence.

"It seems to me that Mr Lloyd correctly followed the Code of Conduct rules in every way after Shoaib Akhtar accepted, and said, he was guilty."

The appeal related to a hearing at which Mr Lloyd found Akhtar guilty of breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for using language that was obscene, offensive or of a generally insulting nature to another player (section CC 2.9).

As this was Akhtar's second breach of CC 2.9 within the last 12 months, the penalty imposed was upgraded to that of a Level 3 offence in line with the provisions of the Code.

A Level 3 offence provides a sterner penalty than a straight breach of Level 2 of the Code but does carry a right of appeal which Akhtar elected to exercise.

The judgment has now been formally passed to the ICC's Legal Counsel and forwarded to Akhtar's representatives, the Pakistan Cricket Board and Mr Lloyd.

The decision of the ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner is final and binding.

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