All-rounder fined full match fee, suspended for two matches for lewd gesture pointing at dressing room
National cricketer Mahmudullah achieved a rare feat on Monday by scoring a century and a hat-trick in the same first class match but spoiled the celebration with lewd gesture using the handle of the bat during the Bangladesh Cricket League match between Walton Central Zone and BCB North Zone at the BKSP. The all-rounder was fined 100 per cent of his match fee and received a two-match suspension for the obnoxious gesture just after his century, which the players and officials present at the ground said reminded all the act of Sakib al Hasan during the home series against Sri Lanka.
The punishment came in less than a month after Mahmudullah had been handed a similar fine and a one-match ban for kicking his helmet during the sixth round match of the National Cricket League in Cox’s Bazar on April 14.
‘We could not take his previous ban into cognisance as it happened in a separate tournament,’ match referee Shawkatur Rahman told New Age. ‘Otherwise his punishment would have been severer. What he has done today it looked very ugly, difficult to put into the words.
‘It is a level three offence relating to using body language and the minimum punishment for his offence is a fine of full match fee and two-match suspension. If he repeats the act he will be suspended for five matches.’
Mahmudullah scored an unbeaten 105 to lead Walton Central Zone to 278 runs replying to North’s 457 all out in the first innings.
The players and officials present at the ground said Mahmudullah moved a few yards from the crease after completing his century, pointed at the logo of Walton on his shirt and then used the handle of the bat making a lewd gesture pointing at the dressing room several times.
Sources said Mahmudullah was upset with the Walton officials, coach and a selector, who had criticised him for his casual approach while bowling on the previous day.
He bowled an over almost standing on the crease, which did not go well with the franchise officials and selector Habibul Bashar, who was also watching the game.
Before the third day’s play started, coach Mizanur Rahman Babul raised the point and criticised him for acting against the spirit of the game.
‘During the team meeting I said whatever we do on the field our approach should be good. Riyad [Mahmudullah] bowled an over standing yesterday, but the franchise officials
did not take it well,’ Babul told New Age.
‘He then replied that the franchise official did not know anything about cricket. I said that selector Suman [Bashar] was unhappy. He said he knows well what kind of cricket these selectors have played,’ said Babul.
Mahmudullah chose his bat for another reply to the criticism, this time in a fair manner as he almost single-handedly guided Central Zone to a decent score with his unbeaten century.
But his emotion got better of him once he completed his century, taking his already poor disciplinary record to a new low.
‘I just could not believe my eyes how he celebrated his century,’ said a match official. ‘It was worse than what Sakib did in the Sri Lanka series.’
Sakib was suspended for three one-day internationals and fined Tk 3 lakh for lewd gesture towards a television crew.
-With New Age input
