Ramdin suspended for two matches

Following his claim that he had taken a clean catch when he hadn’t, in last Friday’s cricket Champions Trophy match against Pakistan, Denesh Ramdin, the West Indies wicket keeper, has been banned from playing for two matches. In addition, Ramdin, the West Indies vice-captain, has been fined his entire match fee, for the game in question.

"This is regarded as a serious offence as it is the responsibility of all players to act in the spirit of the game," ICC match referee Chris Broad said. "I hope Mr Ramdin has learnt his lesson from this incident and that we will not see such behaviour by him or any player in the future."

The incident took place in the ninth over of Pakistan's innings, when Misbah edged a ball, bowled by fast bowler Kemar Roach, to Ramdin. The wicketkeeper initially appeared to have caught the ball but lost control of it as he fell forward, and it slipped out of his gloves onto the grass. In such circumstances the player is expected to notify the presiding umpire that the catch was not clean but Ramdin did not and it was left to the square-let umpire, Nigel Long, to alert the third umpire that something was amiss. The television replays then confirmed the catch was not cleanly taken.

Ramdin denied that he was aware that he had dropped the catch but his explanation was not accepted in the hearing, convened by Broad, on Monday.

West Indies now faces two crucial Champions Trophy games are against India on Tuesday and South Africa on Friday without the services of the only specialist keeper in the squad.