England’s James Anderson and India’s Ravindra Jadeja were both found not guilty on Friday of breaching the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct, the global governing body announced.
The verdict removes the possibility that veteran Lancashire paceman Anderson would miss the final two matches of the England-India Test series through suspension.
Jadeja, meanwhile, had his previously imposed 50 per cent match fee fine rescinded.
India charged Anderson and England counter-charged all-rounder Jadeja under the ICC code regarding an incident that took place during the lunch break on the second day of the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge on July 10.
Anderson and Jadeja, who was batting at the time, were seen exchanging words as the players left the field during the lunch break on the second day of the first Test.
It was later alleged that this escalated into a more serious disagreement, beyond public view, when the players reached the privacy of the pavilion.
Yesterday’s hearing, presided over by Gordon Lewis, a retired Australian judge, had Jadeja appealing against a Level 1 fine under the ICC code imposed by match referee David Boon, the former Australia batsman.
The more serious Level 3 charges being brought by India against Anderson for allegedly "abusing and pushing" Jadeja were being heard for the first time.
“His Honour Gordon Lewis, the judicial commissioner, has found both England’s James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja of India not guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct,” an ICC statement issued after the hearing said.
England will be hugely relieved that fast-medium bowler Anderson, their series-leading wicket taker, who was named man of the match for his seven for 77 at Southampton in the team's first Test match victory for nearly a year, has been cleared to play in the final two Tests.
Lewis’s decision means that Anderson, 32, could yet become England’s leading all-time Test wicket taker before the end of the northern summer season.
Anderson has 371 Test wickets, 12 shy of Ian Botham’s England record of 383.
The five-match Test series is level at 1-1 after England won the third Test at Southampton by 266 runs on Thursday.
The fourth Test at Old Trafford, Anderson’s home ground, starts on August 7.
Friday’s ICC statement said: “The judicial commissioner reached his decisions following a six-hour hearing, which took place via video conference.
“Witnesses, including some Indian and English players, provided evidence and were cross-examined by the respective legal counsels.
“The hearings were also attended by the two team managers, the ECB’s Paul Downton, the BCCI’s [Board of Control for Cricket in India’s] Sundar Raman and MV Sridhar, the ICC’s general manager-cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC’s ethics and regulatory lawyer, Sally Clark.”
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