Victoria bowling coach fined after ball tampering

Mick Lewis, a former Australia international, was seen kicking the ball into the gutter beyond the boundary rope before scraping it across the concrete while retrieving it.

Victoria bowling coach Mick Lewis accepted a fine equal to 50 per cent of a player's match fee for the incident.

Victoria bowling coach Mick Lewis has been fined after pleading guilty to ball tampering during day three of his side's Sheffield Shield final with South Australia.

Lewis admitted the offence and accepted a fine equal to 50 per cent of a player's match fee for the incident, the punishment set by match referee Steve Bernard. The former Australia international was seen kicking the ball into the gutter beyond the boundary rope before scraping it across the concrete while retrieving it.

Victoria was deducted five runs on day three of the final, with Lewis' punishment coming at the end of the fourth day's play – his side in command with only 98 runs required for victory.

"Cricket Victoria does not condone any action to gain an unfair advantage in any form, we're committed to playing fair cricket in the spirit of the game," CEO Tony Dodemaide said in a statement. "Myself and Cricket Victoria chairman Russell Thomas immediately spoke to Mick and he has apologised unreservedly and understands that this reflects unfairly on the Bushrangers and all of Victorian cricket."

"Mick pleaded guilty to Cricket Australia's code of behaviour breach and has also accepted a severe reprimand, imposed upon him as a Cricket Victoria employee, and assured us that actions such as this will not happen again."

"Mick also went personally to South Australian coach Jamie Siddons and apologised after the day's play. Victorian coach David Saker was extremely disappointed in Mick's actions and also that he cost the side five runs in what could be a very close match."

"We believe that Mick will learn a valuable lesson from this and understands this type of behaviour will not be tolerated."