England star all-rounder Ben Stokes has been fined 15 percent of his match fee for an altercation with a spectator on day one of the fourth Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Stokes was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to the “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.”
In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Stokes, for whom it was the first offence during a 24-month period.
The incident occurred when Stokes made his way towards the dressing room following his dismissal in the 46th over of England’s first innings. TV footage caught him using expletives in the direction of someone not on the field of play.
😯😯😯 pic.twitter.com/SVdls1MRfR
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) January 24, 2020
A statement from Stokes, released later on Friday, said he has been subject to “repeated abuse from the crowd”.
He added: “I admit my reaction was unprofessional, and I sincerely apologize for the language I used, especially to the many young fans watching the live telecast around the world.
“Throughout the Tests so far, the support from both sets of fans (England and South Africa) has been brilliant. One incident will not ruin such a competitive series, which we are determined to win.”
