England vs India 2014: BCCI want to appeal against Ravindra Jadeja's verdict
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking forward to appealing against the penalty handed out to Ravindra Jadeja in the James Anderson controversy. The all-rounder was fined 50% of his match fee after he pleaded guilty to a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge.
"Board will go for appeal in ICC. We will put forward our case before ICC and we hope that justice will be done with Mr Jadeja. Right now it won't be appropriate for me to comment about it, but I think injustice has been meted out to Mr Jadeja and we will fight it out in the ICC," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told reporters on Saturday.
Shukla was speaking to the media after the BCCI's Tour Programme and Fixtures Committee’s meeting that announced the venues for the West Indies series later in the year.
"The BCCI wishes to make it clear that it is not satisfied with the verdict. The BCCI reserves its right to appeal. The BCCI believes that Mr Ravindra Jadeja was not at fault, and supports him fully," the BCCI had stated earlier after match referee David Boon decision to penalise the left-hander. However, the Saurashtra lad was cleared of the original charge claimed by the England Cricket Board – Level 2, for walking towards Anderson in an “aggressive and threatening manner”.
James Anderson’s hearing is set to take place on August 1 through video conferencing after the conclusion of the 3rd Test at Rose Bowl. Gordon Lewis, the judicial commissioner from Australia will be making the final call on the matter. The pacer was charged with a Level 3 offence for allegedly “pushing” and “abusing” the 25-year-old Indian all-rounder.
It’s a strange predicament as Level 1 offences cannot be appealed against as per ICC regulations.