Moeen Ali fined for using a drying agent on his bowling hand against Australia

Moeen Ali fined 25 per cent of his match fee after the England spinner was caught spraying his bowling hand with a drying agent on day two of the Ashes

Moeen Ali has been fined 25 per cent of his £15,000 match fee after he was caught spraying his bowling hand during the second day of the first Ashes Test.

The England spinner, who turned 36 today, used a drying agent on his hand on the boundary line in the 89th over of Australia’s innings before bowling the next over.

Match referee Andy Pycroft was satisfied Moeen had only used the spray to dry his hands and not as an artificial substance to change the condition of the ball, which would have been a more serious offence.

However, Moeen’s use of the substance went against the umpires’ pre-series instructions about not using anything on their hands without prior approval – and breached Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Moeen bowled 29 overs on Saturday in his first Test match since September 2021. He has previously had problems in red-ball cricket with his spinning finger, where he has developed calluses, and the spray could have been used to ease any pain.

Moeen Ali has been fined after using a drying agent on his hand on the second day of the Test

Ali has has previously had problems with his spinning finger, where he has developed calluses

Ali has has previously had problems with his spinning finger, where he has developed calluses

Ali, who bowled 29 overs on Saturday, has admitted the offence and accepted the sanction

Ali, who bowled 29 overs on Saturday, has admitted the offence and accepted the sanction

Moeen, who has also had one demerit point added to his disciplinary record, admitted the offence and accepted the sanction.

The ICC said in a statement: ‘Ali was found to have breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to displaying conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.

‘The incident occurred in the 89th over of Australia’s innings, when Ali sprayed a drying agent on his bowling hand at the boundary line before coming on to bowl the next over, thus defying the umpires’ pre-series instructions about not using anything on their hands without prior approval.’

In February, India spinner Ravindra Jadeja was also fined 25 per cent of his match fee by the same match referee for a similar incident against Australia. He was seen applying a soothing cream to a swelling on the index finger of his bowling hand without prior permission from the umpires. 

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