The ICC confirmed on November 2, 2026 that South Africa batter Kyle Verreynne and batting coach Ashwell Prince had each violated Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, a provision that covers showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match. Both were handed an official reprimand and one demerit point following an incident on the third day of South Africa's second innings in the third and final Test against Australia at Cape Town.
The
episode was triggered by the dismissal of Marques Ackerman, caught by Cameron Green off a Mitchell Starc delivery. On-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough determined that the 15-second window permitted for a DRS review had already elapsed before the appeal was lodged. Third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Lubabalo Gcuma were also serving as officials during the match.
As Ackerman began to walk off, the ICC release described how Prince 'shouted repeatedly at the umpires that there was still time left for the appeal to be taken while Verreynne, who was not in the playing XI, asked Ackerman to remain inside the boundary line, which caused a delay in him leaving the field', with the charge framed under the Code as 'showing dissent at an Umpire's decision during an International Match'.
Match referee Javagal Srinath framed the charges against both men. Prince and Verreynne each admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanctions, so no formal hearing was necessary. The South Africa camp's cooperation meant the matter was resolved swiftly at the administrative level.
What does the ruling establish for Prince and Verreynne?
The demerit point recorded against each individual is their first within a rolling 24-month window. Under ICC regulations, points accumulate across that period and repeated breaches attract progressively heavier penalties. Because both men accepted the Level 1 charge without contest, the outcome was limited to an official reprimand alongside the single demerit point. No fine or playing ban was imposed at this stage, and the classification at Level 1 places the conduct at the lower end of the ICC's disciplinary framework.
The admission of guilt by both Prince and Verreynne prevents any further escalation of this particular matter. Should either accumulate additional demerit points within the same 24-month period, however, the consequences would be more severe under the existing ICC Code of Conduct structure.
What is the broader context of this Test series?
The disciplinary incident occurred during the third and final Test of the series at Cape Town. South Africa ultimately won the series 2-1 against Australia, a result that carried significant consequences beyond the match itself. The victory allowed South Africa to leapfrog Australia and claim the top position in the ICC Test rankings.
The reprimands issued to Prince and Verreynne carry no bearing on the series result or South Africa's newly acquired number one Test ranking. The two sanctions stand as administrative outcomes separate from the on-field achievement, and the team's standing in the rankings remains unaffected by the conduct charges.
