South African pacer Vernon Philander has been fined 15 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for his send-off to England’s Jos Buttler on day two of the fourth Test in Johannesburg.
Philander – playing his farewell Test – used inappropriate language after dismissing Buttler at the Wanderers on Saturday.
Philander’s demerit point will prove irrelevant with the 34-year-old retiring from Test cricket after this match, having taken 224 wickets in 64 games since making his debut against Australia in 2011.
Buttler and Philander have jousted in an acrimonious relationship throughout the series, with the England wicketkeeper having received a sanction for swearing at Philander in the second Test at Cape Town.
The ICC said in a statement: “The incident occurred in the 85th over of England’s innings on Saturday when Philander used inappropriate language after dismissing Jos Buttler, which could have provoked an aggressive response from the batsman.
“Philander admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.”
