Matigimu fined, handed demerit point for throwing the ball and hitting Pretorius

Kundai Matigimu, the Zimbabwe quick bowler, has been fined 15% of his match fee and handed a demerit point for "inappropriate and dangerous" conduct during the ongoing second Test against South Africa in Bulawayo.

The incident in question took place on the first day of the Test match, in the 72nd over of South Africa's first innings. Matigimu fielded the ball in his follow through and hurled it at the batter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, "hitting him at close range on the wrist", as an ICC statement put it.

It was a breach of Article 2.0 of the ICC's code of conduct for international cricket, which penalises throwing "a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner". Matigimu admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction from match referee Ranjan Madugalle, ruling out the need for a formal hearing.

This, being Matigimu's international debut, was his first demerit point.

Zimbabwe have been on the back foot for the most part in the game. By the end of the first day, South Africa had reached 465 for 4 on the back of captain Wiaan Mulder's 264 not out, which he subsequently took to 367 not out before declaring the innings on 626 for 5. They then bowled Zimbabwe out for 170 in their first innings, setting up a possible innings win.

Matigimu was one of Zimbabwe's more successful bowlers, returning 2 for 124 from 21.3 overs, with Pretorius and Dewald Brevis his victims.