Styris escapes punishment for critical texts

Scott Styris

New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris will not be censured for sending an expletive-laced text to former teammate-turned-commentator Mark Richardson.

Styris twice texted Richardson over what he believed to have been a negative newspaper article written by Richardson following the controversial one-day match against England last month.

The first one sarcastically thanked Richardson for the article before describing him as a "geriatric --head".

It is then understood to have added: "We hope you die choking on your own -- that you speak."

Styris then used more expletives in a second text and abused Richardson again as a "scribe/hack/journo/wannabe journo".

A New Zealand Cricket (NZC) spokesman today said that no formal action would be taken against Styris, although he would be reminded his behaviour was inappropriate.

"Chief executive Justin Vaughan will talk to the Players' Association and to Scott Styris but we will not take any formal action against Scott," the spokesman told NZPA.

"He will be left in no doubt that that was not appropriate behaviour."

Richardson informally complained to Vaughan about the texts.

Styris sent the texts after an article based on Richardson's opinions on the fourth one-day international in England when New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott was controversially run out after colliding with Ryan Sidebottom.

The umpires gave England captain Paul Collingwood the opportunity to withdraw the appeal but he did not, an act which incensed the New Zealanders.

- NZPA