Hookes fined $l600

Press, 2 August 1983, Page 34

Hookes fined $l600

NZPA Melbourne The Australian Cricket Board yesterday imposed its highest fine yet when imposing a $l6OO penalty on its .vice-captain, David Hookes, for an alleged breach of the players’ code of behaviour. Hookes was alleged to have made comments about the Australian captain, Kim Hughes, in a radio interview on July 18, after his return from the Prudential Cup competition in England. Hookes issued a statement after the decision of the A.C.B. cricket co-ordina-tor, Bob Merriman, to impose the heavy fine. “I deeply regret the effect my comments have made and I wish to publicly apologise for them,” said Hookes. “It has never been, nor will it be, my intention to demean the office of the Australian test captaincy, arguably the most important position in Australian sport.” He said it had always been his belief that any member of a sporting team, particularly the Australian Cricket team, should lend his full support to his captain and his team. Hookes said his comments in the interview had had the effect of breaching a principle that had always been held high by all sportsmen in regards to a team member’s responsibility to his captain. Mr Merriman said that total and full support to a captain in any team sport was a principle accepted by ail Australians and it should be an obligation accepted by any person selected in a team.

“David Hookes was not only a team member but the team vice-captain and, as such, a member of the tour executive,” he said.