Samuels guilty, banned for two years
Mon, May 12, '08
by RYAN NARAINEThe West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has found middle order batsman Marlon Samuels guilty of a serious code of conduct violation that carries an automatic two-year ban from all forms of cricket.
Samuels, a 27-year-old right-hander who has played in 29 Tests and 107 ODIs for the West Indies, was found guilty of violating Clause 4-9 of the ICC code of conduct, which reads:
"Received any money, benefit or other reward (whether financial or otherwise) which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute."
The automatic penalty is a ban for a minimum period of two years.
According to WICB spokesman Tony Deyal, the board's internal internal code of ethics and disciplinary committee opted for the minimum two-year ban, which went into effect from May 9, 2008.
In its ruling, the committee headed renowned Caribbean judge Adrian Saunders suggested that the two year ban was "excessive" but binding because of the nature of the ICC code of conduct for players (.pdf), it had no choice but to assess the penalty.
The maximum penalty for a guilty verdict is a life ban from international cricket. Samuels could also face a fine, "the amount of which shall be unlimited and left to be assessed in the light of the actual circumstances."
Samuels could not be reached for comment. President of the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) Dinanath Ramnarine declined comment because he had not yet been notified officially of the ruling.
WICB chief executive Donald Peters said the ruling was "a sad for West Indies cricket."
"We've lost a good young player for a few years. We may regret that the penalty is a bit excessive but the ICC's codes are very clear on what the minimum penalty is for that charge," Peters said.
Peters described Samuels as "very unhappy" with the ruling. "Marlon believes he didn't get a fair shake. He believes he did not intentionally give out information but, at the end of the day, we had a hearing and a binding ruling."
Samuels was charged with playing a part in fixing the first One Day International between India and the West Indies in Nagpur on January 21, 2007. The allegations led to the ICC asking the WICB to conduct an investigation.
At the disciplinary hearing, the committee considered evidence provided by the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) and excerpts of a recorded telephone conversation between Samuels and alleged bookie Mukesh Kochchar which detailed vital match information being leaked by Samuels.
Samuels was accused of leaking information like pitch conditions, the West Indies batting order and team strategies.
The WICB's disciplinary committee is chaired by renowned Caribbean judge Adrian Saunders) and includes Professor Aubrey Bishop, Dr Lloyd Barnett and two players' representatives -- former West Indies captains Courtney Walsh and Richie Richardson.
Walsh, who is president of Melbourne Cricket Club in Jamaica -- Samuels' local team -- recused himself from the hearing for conflict-of-interest reasons.
Earlier this year, Samuels was suspended from bowling in international cricket after independent analysis of his bowling action revealed that his off-break and fast deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under regulations.
Below is the transcript of the conversation the Nagpur police say took place between Marlon Samuels and Mukesh Kochar, before the India-West Indies match at Nagpur on January 21, 2007.
Samuels was staying in Room 206 of the Pride Hotel in the city. The transcript is verbatim from the police records:
Bookie: Connect to 206
Reception: 206, sir?
Bookie: Yes
Rec: Hello, room no 206, Marlon
Bookie: Hello, how are you Marlon?
206: not clear
Bookie: Just relax buddy
206: Just relax
Bookie: Hello my son, that's way I am here, came for my some work and am held up
206: OK
Bookie: Tomorrow night I am going back
206: OK
Bookie: So how are things with you and how is the preparation?
206: Preparation is good enough
Bookie: Well, wish you all the best
206: Thanks
Bookie: You play well
206: (Not clear) Talking to Robinson
Bookie: Robinson...Yes
206: Yes, our fielding well
Bookie: Ya, good that's a high-scoring game
206: Early in the morning... Batting move around the pitch...
Bookie: an in the evening lower down
206: Slow down...
Bookie: What you think that, who will bat...
206: Well...
Bookie: Who, who?
206: Dwayne (not clear) He's is making a debut tomorrow...
Bookie: New batsman, bowlers...
206: All-rounder...
Bookie: He are a good player...
206: Making debut
Bookie: Ya, I can understand that Chris is in form...
206: (Not clear)...
Bookie: And how is your batting going on?
206: My batting is good...
Bookie: Big... a... tall score tomorrow
206: (Not clear)
Room no 206: (not clear)
Bookie: When do you get down to bowl
206: (not clear)
Bookie: Which over you will be bowling
206: One down
Bookie: Normally after 17th or 18th over
206: By tomorrow... (not clear) than I can bowl... (not clear)
Bookie: He is seamer or spinner
206: Seamer
Bookie: He is a seamer, who will start bowling tomorrow
206: Dwayne
Bookie: Dwayne
206: Dwayne, tail and Bradshaw
Bookie: Tail and Bradshaw, they will open. You will be as the third bowler
206: Jerome Taylor, Chris Gayle will be 4th and 5th bowling
Bookie: You have got a nice allrounder team now
Bookie: As a first match, I want you to play well confident and don't hurry up, don't give the catches, play well, consolidate your position as well as possible if even if you can want couple of balls, it doesn't matter, don¹t get run out.. don't get excited, have a strong position
206: (not clear)
Bookie: After this you guys going to Cuttack, that's another place
206: (not clear)
Bookie: I am going back, we will be in touch with you
206: Most welcome
Bookie: Whenever you come back to Bombay? Most probably may be I will come there for one or two days
206: I want to stay there for couple of days
Bookie: Yeah, after (not clear)
206: Yeah
Bookie: Let me know I am flying back tomorrow
206: Not yet
Bookie: Yeah my flight (not clear) O'clock & from their I will fly back to Bombay
206: (not clear)
Bookie: Thank you very much chief
206: (not clear)
Bookie: All the best, after this I will have to work
206: (not clear)
Bookie: Ok good
