Kieron Pollard of Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore's Mitchell Starc have been fined for an ugly spat during the Indian Premier League match between the two teams at Wankhede Stadium here.
Pollard has been fined 75 per cent of his match fee for throwing his bat at Starc, while the Australian fast bowler was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game" last night.
"Kieron Pollard of Mumbai Indians and Mitchell Starc of Royal Challengers Bangalore were both fined after an incident in the first innings," a statement from the IPL organisers stated.
The unpleasant incident between the two players took place in the 17th over of the Mumbai innings when Starc continued with his delivery stride despite Pollard pulling out of his batting stance.
As the Aussie fired the ball at the West Indian, the batsman advanced menacingly towards Starc and flung his willow at the bowler but, luckily, it slipped out of the Trinidadian's hand and dropped near him.
A fuming Pollard had a word with the umpire, complaining about the bowler's conduct. In the previous ball, after bowling a bouncer that sailed over Pollard's head, Starc mouthed something which the big-built West Indian simply brushed away with a wave of his hand.
After the bat lay on the turf, the two on-field umpires intervened to talk to the angry players as Chris Gayle, playing for RCB, came on to calm his West Indian teammate.
Fines were also handed to the two team captains -- Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli -- for maintaining a slow-over rate.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit was handed a Rs. 24 lakh penalty for his second over-rate offence, while first-timer Kohli was fined Rs. 12 lakh.
Also, "each of the other 10 members of the Mumbai Indians team was fined the lesser of Rs. 6 lakh or 25 per cent of his match fee."
RCB fast bowler Varun Aaron was reprimanded for breach of the "IPL Clothing Regulations".
