Ravindra Jadeja's suspension highlights need for further tinkering in ICC's demerit system

If even Prince Harry had donned his spikes and beaten Usain Bolt on Saturday night, he may well have received a rather lukewarm reception from the British crowd. However, the most significant change in cricket’s judicial processes was the introduction of the demerit system almost a year ago, a system under which last Sunday Ravindra Jadeja became the latest player to receive a ban. In Jadeja’s case, his first offence involved repeatedly running on the pitch in a Test against New Zealand in October 2016, for which he received three demerits. UAE coach Owais Shah received a demerit for telling one of his fielders to “‘F****** chase it!’ and ‘F****** get there quicker!” from the dugout. It is welcome the new system dispenses with the sort of instant justice Bolt received for his false start in the 2011 World Championships Final, but it would be a shame if what ostensibly appears a decent scheme couldn’t be tweaked a little further to up the consistency at the expense of the morality.