Victoria captain Matthew Wade, the first Australian cricketer to be banned for pitch tampering, lost his appeal on Thursday and will serve a one-game suspension in the domestic Sheffield Shield.
The 25-year-old wicketkeeper, who won the last of his 12 Test caps for Australia against India in March, had been found guilty of tampering during his 119-run knock against Tasmania last week.
Umpires Ian Lock and Sam Nogajski reported Wade, who was dropped for both Ashes series against England this year, for 'conduct that was considered unfair play under Law 42 of the Laws of Cricket or against the spirit in which the game of cricket should be played'.
"Both umpires considered the change to the pitch, which resulted in the creation of a long valley within the protected area, had been created by means other than natural wear and tear," Cricket Australia said in a statement at the time.
Match referee Daryl Harper upheld the guilty verdict and penalised Wade 50 percent of his match fee during a full disciplinary hearing on Sunday which the batsman had requested.
Wade rejected that decision and appealed further but Cricket Australia Code of Behaviour Commissioner Alan Sullivan dismissed his claim after a three hour teleconference on Thursday.
Wade, who has an average of 34.61 from his 12 Tests, will miss Victoria's match against Western Australia at the WACA in Perth starting on Friday.
"We're extremely disappointed by the outcome today, but appreciate the thoroughness of the process and accept that the matter is now concluded," Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide told Australian media.
Image: Matthew Wade
Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images
