After a heated altercation with Sam Konstas in the Boxing Day Test, the match referee reprimanded Virat Kohli on the first day of the match. An intentional shoulder bump from Kohli cost him 20% of his match fee and one demerit points.
But what are these demerit points? And when a referee awards them to players?
In this article, let’s glance at the demerit points system implemented in cricket.
Demerit Points System in Cricket
So cricket’s global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), brought in the demerit points system in 2016. The purpose behind implementing this system is to bar players from conducting any inappropriate behaviour on and off the field of play.
The ICC has put in place a Code of Conduct for players and support staff that mandates them to play within the ‘Spirit of Cricket’. If a player breaches the Code of Conduct, then they have to endure a monetary fine and demerit points if deemed right by the match referee.
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Who decides the demerit points?
As mentioned earlier, it’s the match referee who imposes demerit points on the players. If the on-field umpires find any player carrying inappropriate conduct on the field, they will report the incident to the referee.
If the match referee finds the player’s conduct breaches any of the Code of Conduct, then they will award demerit points to the player.
How does the demerit points system work?
The demerit points system has four levels of offences. Each level of offence awards certain points to the player.
For instance, a player may get one or two points for a Level 1 offence. If the offence falls under Level 2, then it attracts three or four points.
If a player breaches Level 3 offence, then they will receive five or six points. And if the player is involved in a Level 4 offence, the referee will hand out seven or eight points.
Apart from the demerit points, players may get banned if they accumulate certain points within a rolling period of 24 months. For instance, if a player accumulates four demerit points, then the ICC bans them for a Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whichever comes first.
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Likewise, if a player ends up with eight demerit points in 24 months, then the ban doubles up, with the concerned player getting banned for two Tests or four ODIs or four T20Is, whichever comes first.
