Vermeulen Banned for 10 Years!

[Andy Mellon]

Mark Vermeulen, former Zimbabwean test batsman has been banned from English Cricket for 10 years after hurling a cricket ball into the crowd and threatening to hurl a steel boundary marker after suffering some sledging from spectators whilst bowling.

Vermeulen had bowled a four ball and a wide in his first two deliveries, after which a spectator was heard to yell, "If you take your Sunnies off you'll be able to see where you're bowling!". Vermeulen launched his attack at the end of that over.

The Lancashire League have imposed the 10 year ban with support from the ECB.

http://content-www3.cricinfo.com/ci/...ml?CMP=OTC-RSS

This raises a couple of questions to me. Vermeulen is clearly in the wrong, yet a 10 year ban seems very harsh. I've heard in the last couple of years about English nationals resorting to racist verbal abuse of opponents and even a physical attack on an umpire, yet these offences resulted in less harsh penalties being incurred.

Does this suggest that there's one rule for the English and one rule for Foreign Players?

This is surely the end of the line for Vermeulen himself. Never the best of players, I'm sure that there won't exactly be other teams queuing up for his services.

[vvvrulz]

Thats terrible, in the heat of the moment anything can happen.
Even a 1 or 2 year ban would easily suffice in my books.

[rhett fraser]

I think that a ten year ban is fair considering the conditions he was in. There were women and children i the crowd and think that was very irresponsible of Vermeulen.

[Teatime FatCat]

What a knob! Bowling in sunglasses in Lancashire in September!!!!!!!!!!!

From what I remember, he's always been a bit tempremental.

[darksideofthemoon]

10 years is a bit much. Considering some of the things that get thrown at players, chickens, shoes, bottles, coins, bricks etc.

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by Teatime FatCat

From what I remember, he's always been a bit tempremental.

Yes, didn't he get thrown off Zimbabwe's last tour of England after throwing a wobbly after being dismissed for a pair in the same day?

I also have a feeling he may have been involved in a few incidents back in Zimbabwe.

Either way, no great loss to English cricket.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

Either way, no great loss to English cricket.

i simply can't be bothered thinking about banning - i'n a little anarchic in that sense. they are cricketers, not rolemodels (i am my sons' role-model, not a great one granted but if my kids act like idiots before 18 - on my head be it).

to the above quote - you are, of course, right. however,i always thought he had some handsome shots and played some good innings - i think he could've been a good cricketer for zimbabwe if he wasn't so temeramental (he's had more than a few scuffles)

[Rachael]

How does this measure up with Cantona's leap over the advertising hoardings or Keane's assault on Alf-Inge Haaland? You can argue over the exact pecking order based on the severity of the attacks but I don't see how you could argue that the Vermeulen incident was worse than the other two (and to my mind it was possibly the mildest of the three: no actual harm was done to anyone).

Now... I don't recall 10 year bans for Cantona and Keane....

ps. I wonder what happened to the ******** who disturbed the peace with his barracking from beyond the boundary line: an exemplary instance of the sort of grossly anti-social behaviour the ECB should be seeking to eradicate (and the sort of thing that might put any responsible parent off taking youngsters to watch cricket) and yet we hear nothing to the effect that HE has been banned for 10 years.

[butchering lee]

don't know much about the folks you mention rachael but i certainly agree with the last part - well, the hypocrisy of it anyway.

[Wanderer]

After he appealed the ban has now been slashed to 3 years, part suspended for 2 years. Ban begins on 1 April 2007.