The Ashes 2013: Darren Lehmann fined for Stuart Broad cheat comments

Darren Lehmann, coach of Australia. (Getty Images)

Sydney, Aug 23 (IANS) Australian cricket team coach, Darren Lehmann, has been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for calling England’s fast bowler Stuart Broad a cheat in a radio interview, local media reported Friday.

Lehmann was found to have breached the ICC’s code of conduct and was fined 20 percent of his match fee for the fifth Test, which equals around 3,000 AU dollars ($2,700), for publicly criticising and making inappropriate comments about Broad for non-walking after edging the ball to slip in the first Test at Trent Bridge, reports Xinhua.

Lehmann told Australia radio station Triple M in an interview broadcast Wednesday that he hoped the Australian fans would send Stuart Broad home in tears from the return series, which starts in November in Australia.

“Certainly our players haven’t forgotten, they’re calling him everything under the sun as they go past. That was just blatant cheating,” Lehmann told Triple M.

“From my point of view, I just hope the Australian public give it to him right from the word go for the whole summer (during the return series in Australia starting in November) and I hope he cries and he goes home,” Lehmann added.

“I just hope everyone gets stuck into him because the way he’s carried on and the way he’s commented in public about it is ridiculous.”

ICC chief executive David Richardson said Lehmann’s comments were inappropriate for an international coach.

“Whilst noting the context and nature of the comments made, showing mutual respect for one’s fellow professionals – including for coaches, players and match officials – is a cornerstone of how we play the game,” Richardson said in a statement.