Gabriel banned after his on-field remark to Root

WEST Indies bowler Shannon Gabriel has been banned for the first four games of the one-day series against England after accepting a code of conduct charge relating to an exchange with Joe Root during the third Test.

The paceman was charged by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Kumar Dharmasena after an incident on day three in St Lucia. Gabriel’s precise words are not known, but England captain Root was heard on stump microphones responding with “don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong with being gay”.

Gabriel did not contest the charge, which related to “personal abuse”, in a brief post-match meeting with match referee Jeff Crowe, but it is understood that he does not believe himself guilty of homophobic slurs.

The 30-year-old Trinidadian was fined 75 per cent of his match fee and handed three demerit points, taking his total to eight in a two-year period.

That left him facing a ban of either four limited-over internationals or two Tests and he will miss all but one match of the 50over series against England.

Cricket West Indies is understood to be comfortable with the International Cricket Council’s application of the rules.

It has been noted that Gabriel’s comments were not caught on the microphone and the ICC has effectively set a precedent for future charges relating to onfield exchanges between players.

Root declined to heap further pressure on his opponent, praising the good spirit in evidence across the three-match series, which the Windies won 2-1.

“Throughout the series it has been played in the right manner between the two sides,” Root said. “It would be a shame if this tarnishes it.”