Nel's appeal dismissed

A South African court has dismissed the appeal by fast bowler Andre Nel against a one-match ban handed to him by Cricket South Africa. Judge Mervyn King ruled that the sentence was "a reasonable one", meaning Nel will remain ineligible for selection for the next Standard Bank Pro20 Series match to be played between the Lions and Eagles on Sunday.

Nel had been reported during a four-day match in Paarl last month and was found guilty of breaching clause 1.4 of CSA's rules of conduct, namely that players "shall not use crude or abusive language nor make offensive gestures to any other participant, official or spectator". Nel appeared before CSA's disciplinary commissioner, Advocate Michael Kuper, SC, in Johannesburg, who handed down the sentence on January 20.

Judge King said: "From a deterrent aspect, a message has to be sent to players that they cannot use these expletives on the field of play, more particularly today, as there are stump microphones and, as in the instant matter, the expletive was picked up and broadcast to thousands of viewers around the country, including young followers of the game of cricket."

Nel will be ineligible for selection for two more matches this season if he is found guilty of a similar contravention of the code during this while.