Tim Paine in hot water over audible obscenity on Day 3 of Third Test at SCG

Tim Paine’s on-field obscenity, directed at umpire Paul Wilson over a DRS call, has the potential to rub him out of Fourth Test.

Australian captain Tim Paine (second from left) and off spinner Nathan Lyon (left) question umpire Paul Wilson (right) over a DRS call that didn’t go the hosts’ way. Picture: Getty Images

Tim Paine’s DRS war has landed the Australian skipper in hot water over an on-field obscenity picked up by stump mics which has the potential to rub him out of the fourth and final Test of the India series.

Paine raged after Cheteshwar Pujara escaped another touch-and-go review for a bat pad catch off Nathan Lyon, which was given not out by umpire Paul Wilson early on day three at the SCG.

If match umpire David Boon interprets the outburst as merely an ‘audible obscenity’, Paine could be fined a portion of his match fee.

Nothing on Hot Spot. Nothing on Snicko. And it's clearing the stumps.

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Although unlikely, if Boon took the view that it warranted a charge of dissent, the potential is there for a more serious punishment — including suspension from the fourth Test.

Replays, including HotSpot, revealed little to indicate an edge from Pujara’s bat — but Paine felt Snicko showed a little bump as the ball passed the bat that warranted further inspection.

TV umpire Bruce Oxenford, however, backed the on-field call and Pujara remained unmoved.

The contentious call didn’t sit well with Paine, who was himself the victim of a DRS dismissal in the Boxing Day Test when initially given not out — a decision which was overturned on the back of a minimal spike on Snicko and little other evidence.

“F***ing consistency Blocker (Wilson), there’s a thing (spike) as (the ball) goes past (the bat),” Paine said to umpire Wilson.

“What’s the f***ing difference, with Snicko?”

Paine found a supporter in Fox Sports’ Mark Waugh, who said there may have been a spike — although fellow commentator Brendon Julian was less sure.

“At the end of the day, of course there is movement. There are noises out there all the time,” Julian said.

“Well Tim Paine is saying that’s what he got given out on, a very similar movement on Snicko,” Waugh replied.

“He’s saying the spike was about that high, I reckon it would have been a bit bigger. I get it, the frustration out there for the players but you can’t be giving that out,” Julian added.

Paine’s frustrations could be compounded if it catches the attention of Boon, given he used an expletive in conversation with the umpire.

Australia lose a review trying to prize out Pujara. Another fantastic decision by the umpire #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/k1coiuhI1W

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Under the ICC’s Rules of Conduct, a player can pick up two suspension points for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by using “excessive, obvious disappointment” or “arguing or entering into a prolonged discussion with the umpire about his/her decision”.

Test matches are worth two suspension points. The fourth Test, to be played at the Gabba, started next Friday.

It is ultimately up to Boon and how he interprets the interaction, but the most likely outcome would be an “audible obscenity” charge.

“Use of an audible obscenity” during an international match can only result in a level 1 charge, for which a fine is the maximum penalty.

There is precedent for on-field outbursts being caught by stump mics earning sanctions from the International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia.

Then-Australian captain Michael Clarke was reprimanded for famous “get ready for a broken f***ing arm” sledge of England’s Jimmy Anderson during the 2013-14 Ashes.

Clarke was charged by the ICC and fined 20 per cent of his match fee.

More recently, Melbourne Stars’ Adam Zampa was banned for a Big Bash match after a stump mic picked up an ‘audible obscenity’ uttered by the spinner in a fixture against the Sydney Thunder when he was overhead to say “f*** me” in frustration shortly after a teammate’s fielding error.

Paine fumed after the Boxing Day Test after being dismissed caught behind via DRS, but argued that in a similar situation Pujara was given the benefit of the doubt.

In Melbourne, Wilson was the TV umpire who sent Paine packing with the Australian wicketkeeper accusing the official of being too hasty in his assessment.

“My concern was not with the technology, it was with the precedence that was set in the first innings with (Cheteshwar) Pujara, and the fact I think the decision was made too quickly,” Paine said at the time.

“(Wilson) didn’t look at enough replays to see the full evidence. There was probably a gap between bat and ball, the line (on snicko) itself had started before it went past the bat.

“There were lots of things that didn’t marry up. I saw some photos of it … I just don’t think he took the time to look at the evidence.”