Perth:
Following the on-field altercation on day two of the third Test between Australia and West Indies on Thursday, West Indies spinner Sulieman Benn has been banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for 2 ODIs for his heated exchange with Australia's Haddin & Johnson. The ban comes for his conduct contrary to the Spirit of Cricket.
Australia's Brad Haddin has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and Mitchell Johnson fined 10 per cent of his fee for his part in the fight.
The drama began when West Indies spinner Benn and Johnson collided as the Australian set off towards the keeper's end for a single and Benn tried to field the ball off Haddin.
As Johnson crossed Benn's path, the bowler grabbed his arm and shirt. Haddin was incensed and, as the single was completed, he thrust his bat towards Benn complaining about the contact.
"Don't push your f---ing bat at me, man," Benn then yelled at Haddin, who replied: "Get back and bowl."
Windies captain Chris Gayle calmed Benn down as the umpires intervened. On the final ball of the over, Haddin drove straight back to Benn who shaped up to fire the ball back at him and Haddin jumped out of the way.
Benn then charged down the pitch pointing at Haddin and in that motion his elbow hit the side of Johnson's helmet. Johnson pushed Benn away before umpire Blly Bowden intervened.
The three players have already received a rebuke from the chairman of Cricket Australia, Jack Clarke, who described their conduct during and after the explosive over after lunch as unacceptable, and further punishment awaits from the ICC match referee, Chris Broad.
"No one wants to see that. Terrible," said Clarke, who caught the second stage of the confrontation from the President's Room at the WACA Ground, was quoted as saying in Sydney Morning Herald.
"It (physical contact) is an absolute no-no. We all accept that."
The incident revived memories of the infamous clash between Dennis Lillee and Javed Miandad at the same ground in 1981, when a collision prompted Lillee to turn and confront Miandad and the Pakistani batsman lifted his bat as if to strike him.