Reece Topley fined after smashing chair in anger over injury

England fast bowler Reece Topley has been fined 15% of his match fee after reacting angrily to an injury setback during the first T20I against the West Indies in Barbados. Topley jarred his right knee while bowling in the series opener on Saturday. Despite trying to continue after a rain delay, he was forced to leave the field after just one more delivery.

This injury added to Topley’s long history of setbacks in his career. After leaving the field, Topley was seen picking up a chair and smashing it on the handrail of the staircase leading to the players' pavilion, a reaction similar to one he had during the 2023 World Cup in Mumbai. There, he had swiped a chair after suffering a broken finger, which ended his tournament.

While the full extent of Topley’s latest injury is not yet known, it was serious enough to rule him out of England’s second match in the series, which they won by seven wickets. Topley’s career has been plagued by injuries, including a serious back stress fracture and an ankle injury during a practice match in Brisbane that kept him out of England’s 2022 T20 World Cup campaign.

Following the chair-smashing incident, the ICC charged Topley with a Level 1 breach of the Code of Conduct, under Article 2.2, which relates to "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match." Topley accepted the charge and the proposed sanction, so no formal hearing was required.

Along with the fine, Topley received one demerit point, his first in the past 24 months. If a player accumulates four or more demerit points within that period, they face a suspension.