Now Lloyd in hot water over Vaughan

Clive Lloyd: in hot water for comments about Michael Vaughan © Getty Images

The dispute between Michael Vaughan and Clive Lloyd escalated over the weekend with Lloyd facing censure from the ICC for making public comments about Vaughan's behaviour during the recently concluded Test series between England and South Africa. What should have been a low-key and quickly forgotten incident is threatening to turn into something far more damaging.

Lloyd, who was match referee for the fourth and fifth Tests, docked Vaughan his entire match fee because of comments made about the umpires during the Johannesburg Test. Vaughan had been politely but openly criticial of their decision to go off for bad light.

Lloyd went public with his criticism because, he claimed, he had grown weary that many in the media had sympathised with Vaughan, believing the fine was excessive. Lloyd argued that Vaughan had been "dismissive and rude", so much so that he had even considered banning him for the final Test. "If he does not respect me he should at least respect the position [of match referee]," Lloyd said. "He made matters worse for himself with his attitude."

At the time, Vaughan referred the matter to the Professional Cricketers' Association and there were reports he was considering legal action against the ICC. All questions to Vaughan on the matter are being referred to the PCA. And it appears that Lloyd will be asked to explain his outburst to the ICC whose own Code of Conduct states: "The referee must not make any detrimental written or spoken comments in the media or press about any tour, Test match or one-day International in which he is involved.

"Our preference is that if there are issues between players and match referees for them to be sorted out away from the spotlight," said Brendan McClements, the ICC general manager of corporate affairs. "As a matter of course we will speak to Clive about it to try to get an understanding about what has happened."

Richard Bevan, the PCA's chief executive, was fully behind Vaughan. "This is effectively an ICC match referee bringing the game into disrepute. It's inequitable that an official can make comments but a player is censured. Clive has put private and confidential information from a breach of contract hearing which is still in a delicate situation into the public domain, and that is very inappropriate."

The argument raises a much bigger question and one which will be discussed later this week when the ICC meets in Melbourne to discuss Code of Conduct affairs. As things stand, players have no appeal against fines levied for level one and two violations of the Code, and this is something they are keen to have changed.

As for Vaughan, he was remaining cautiously quiet but was at least able to smile. After being named Man of the Match for the first ODI, he looked at the accompanying cheque for 5000 rand (US$840 approx) and said, "I'll put that towards my fine."