Stuart Broad has become the fifth player to be fined and handed a demerit point during the Test series between South Africa and England. Broad was found to have used an "audible obscenity" in an incident that saw Faf du Plessis and Jos Buttler briefly come together on the fourth afternoon in Johannesburg.
Broad, who was fielding in the covers, appeared to become involved in a heated discussion with du Plessis, after the South Africa captain had been hit on the pads by a throw to the keeper. Du Plessis said after the match that he had been "trying to show fight as the leader", as South Africa battled in the face of a hefty fourth-innings target. "It was just myself and Broady having a go," he said.
The match officials subsequently charged Broad with a Level 1 offence, under Article 2.3 of the ICC code of conduct. He was fined 15% of his match fee and now has two active demerit points on his record - following a reprimand for giving Rishabh Pant a send-off at Trent Bridge in 2018.
Vernon Philander and Ben Stokes were both hit with Level 1 penalties during the Wanderers Test, a game that Kagiso Rabada sat out after collecting his fourth demerit point within a two-year period in the third Test at Port Elizabeth. Buttler was found guilty of a Level 1 offence in Cape Town, after being picked up by the stumps mics swearing at Philander.
England won the Test series 3-1, following a 191-run victory in Johannesburg. The tour will also encompass six limited-overs internationals, starting with the first ODI at Newlands on February 4.