Graeme Smith won't be celebrating after being handed a four-match ban © Getty Images Enlarge

Graeme Smith has been banned for four one-dayers and fined 30 per cent of his match fee because of a slow over-rate during South Africa's third match against West Indies in Barbados last Wednesday. The South Africa players have also been fined 15 per cent of their match fee. Smith now has 24 hours to appeal before the ban applies with immediate effect, which would mean he would miss the rest of the series, although South Africa have already won it; they have an unassailable 3-0 lead.

The day after the third ODI, a hearing in Trinidad decided to impose the four-match ban, which is so severe because it is Smith's second breach within a year. The first time he was found guilty of time-wasting was also against West Indies, when the two sides met in the Champions Trophy last September. Nevertheless, it is the lightest punishment he can get away with: under ICC guidelines he could have been banned for up to eight matches.

And Smith had already been warned once in the current series, after the second one-dayer. Jeff Crowe, the match referee, ruled that Smith's conduct in the third ODI was "contrary to the spirit of the game". The hearing was attended by Smith, South Africa team manager Goolam Raja, the South Africa selector Haroon Lorgat and the match umpires Darrell Hair, Eddie Nicholls and Billy Doctrove.