Waugh receives heavy fine

Australian captain Steve Waugh will forego half of his current match payment after being found guilty of misconduct in a hearing before match referee Ranjan Madugalle in Melbourne last night.

The punishment was applied in relation to an incident which occurred late on the third day of the Second Test against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Waugh was charged, under clause C3 of the International Cricket Council's Code of Conduct, with dissent following his reaction to umpire Darrell Hair's decision to uphold a run out appeal against him midway through the day's final session.

The Australian captain lingered at the crease after Hair's ruling, prompting Madugalle to find that he had breached the obligations incumbent on Test players under the Code of Conduct.

"In handing out his judgement, the match referee reminded Stephen of his reponsibilities as a premier Test match captain to represent the game in a good light," the Australian Cricket Board confirmed in a short statement.

"He also recognised there was no malice in Stephen's actions."

The ruling will cost Waugh around $A5500 in total.

It is the second time that an Australian player has answered a misconduct charge this summer. Pace bowler Brett Lee was docked 75% of his match fee during the Third Test against New Zealand in Perth after being found guilty of using crude and abusive language and offensive gestures, and bringing the game into disrepute.

On being cited for breaches of the Code of Conduct, players face a maximum fine of 75% of their match payment and/or possible suspension from the game.