November 18 Monday 2002
Mark Waugh pleads guilty to dissent

SYDNEY: Discarded test batsman Mark Waugh escaped with a warning after pleading guilty to a charge of dissent in an Australian interstate match on Sunday, his first offence of that nature in 18 years of first-class cricket. Waugh, who was once fined by the Australian Cricket Board for accepting money from an illegal Indian bookmaker, 
escaped a more serious penalty after the umpire who reported him, Darrell Hair, spoke in his defence.

Hair placed Waugh on report after the 37-year-old player was given out caught behind for a duck while batting for New South Wales against South Australia. Waugh, clearly unhappy at the decision, stood his ground with his hand on his hip then exchanged words with Hair as he left the field. He was charged under rule 1.5 of the player's Code of Conduct and ordered to appear at a 25-minute disciplinary hearing where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Hair and fellow umpire Simon Taufel both told the hearing that it was out of character for Waugh to show dissent, saving him from a possible tougher penalty. Waugh announced his retirement from international cricket last month within hours of being dropped from the Test team but has continued playing first-class cricket.