BIRMINGHAM: England star Jason Roy has been cleared to play in Sunday’s World Cup final against New Zealand despite showing dissent at an umpire’s decision while helping the hosts book their place in the showpiece match.

The Surrey opener had made 85 to set England well on their way to an eventual eight-wicket against Australia in Thursday’s semi-final at Edgbaston, when he was given out caught behind down the leg-side off fast bowler Pat Cummins by Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena.

Roy requested a review but England had already squandered their lone review of the innings with an unsuccessful attempt to overturn fellow opener Jonny Bairstow’s lbw dismissal for 34.

Nevertheless, Dharmasena confusingly and incorrectly signalled for a review, with Australia pointing out the official’s mistake.

Roy, his arms spread wide, clearly believed Dharmasena should have signalled a wide delivery instead and the furious batsman had to be ushered away from the crease by square leg umpire Marais Erasmus.

Eventually, a clearly unhappy Roy, whose tirade prompted television broadcasters to apologise for his foul language, made his way back to the pavilion, with England 147 for two in the 20th over.

Roy, who admitted the offence, was fined 30 per cent of his match fee for breaching that section of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct that prohibits showing dissent at an umpire’s decision.

The 28-year-old also received two demerit points from match referee Ranjan Madugalle, taking his tally for the tournament to three following one-point penalty he received for an audible obscenity after dropping a catch in a league-stage match against Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2019