After serving a one-match suspension, England captain Ben Stokes could once again come under the spotlight after he was seen tapping New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner’s wristband during the match. If the incident is considered inappropriate physical contact, Stokes could face another disciplinary review.
Will ICC take action against Stokes?
Stokes continued his brilliant spell with the ball by dismissing Santner for his third wicket of the morning. Earlier, he had also removed Daryl Mitchell and Will O’Rourke.
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Santner tried to get out of the way of a short ball but did not have enough room. The ball appeared to brush the upper part of his glove before carrying to Jacob Bethell at gully, who completed a simple catch. The on-field umpire gave Santner out, but the New Zealand all-rounder immediately asked for a review.
TV replays confirmed that the ball had touched the upper part of Santner’s wristband. Under the ICC playing conditions, that part is treated as part of the bat. Even so, Santner was not convinced and decided to use the review.
What happened during the review?
After checking the footage, the third umpire agreed with the on-field decision, giving Ben Stokes his 250th Test wicket.
While the review was in progress, Stokes and Santner were seen talking. Santner believed the ball had hit his arm guard instead of his glove. Stokes then tapped the wristband on Santner’s glove to point out where he felt the ball had made contact.
That gesture could now be discussed under the ICC Code of Conduct. The rules do not allow inappropriate physical contact with another player or an umpire. Match officials may review the incident and decide whether any disciplinary action is needed.