Cricket: Hoggard and Inzamam fined

England fast bowler Matthew Hoggard and Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq were fined 20 per cent of their match fees for breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct in the first test that ended yesterday.

Hoggard was reported for excessive appealing by umpires Simon Taufel, of Australia, and New Zealand's Billy Bowden during the fourth day's play while Inzamam was punished for his team's slow over rate, the ICC said.

Hoggard, whose excessive appeal came after he celebrated the dismissal of Pakistan opening batsman Salman Butt on Tuesday, was found guilty at a hearing conducted by ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama after Pakistan won the series opener by 22 runs.

The ICC also fined each member of the Pakistan team 10 per cent of their match fees after the hosts fell two overs short of the minimum required to be bowled in the time available.

"This is a problem we have to tackle apart from concentrating on our build up for the second test," Inzamam said.

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Meanwhile, the ICC have also ruled that India's Harbhajan Singh violated the players' code during the first one-day international against South Africa, and fined him 25 percent of his match fees, a news report said.

The match referee at the ICC disciplinary hearing was New Zealander Jeff Crowe.

Spin bowler Singh was found guilty after it was held that he gestured South African batsman Ashwell Prince toward the pavilion after dismissing him during the match yesterday.

South Africa won the match by five wickets.

- REUTERS