Ashwell Prince, the South African batting coach, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne, has been reprimanded after showing disagreement with an umpire's decision during the third Test against Australia at Newlands.
The duo's actions fell under a breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, specifically Article 2.8, concerning dissent towards an umpire's ruling. Each received one demerit point, marking their first offense in the past two years.
The controversy arose following the dismissal of South African batsman Marques Ackerman. Although he sought to review the decision within the stipulated 15-second window, the umpires judged the request as late.
Prince questioned the timing enforced by the umpires, while Verreynne, not on the field, advised Ackerman to remain within bounds, prolonging his exit.
Both Prince and Verreynne accepted the proposed penalties, avoiding the need for formal proceedings. The charges were initiated by the officiating umpires at the match.
In the broader context, Level 1 violations can result in an official warning, with penalties extending to a 50% match fee cut and the addition of demerit points. Accumulating enough points leads to suspension.
Despite this incident, South Africa achieved victory by 176 runs in the final Test, securing a series win at 2-1.
