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Will Sutherland fined A$5000 for BBL bubble breach

Will Sutherland in his delivery stride Getty Images

Will Sutherland, the Melbourne Renegades allrounder, has been find A$5000 after breaching biosecure regulations during the BBL by playing a round of golf and having a meal with people outside of the competition's bubble.

Sutherland accepted the charge but challenged the original sanction of a $10,000 fine with $4000 suspended at a hearing before commissioner Adrian Anderson on February 1. The sanction was subsequently downgraded to a $5000 fine.

Sutherland's was the second breach of BBL protocols after Chris Lynn and Dan Lawrence of Brisbane Heat. The pair and the club were fined in December after they had contact with members of the public in Canberra early on in the competition.

The BBL, which concludes with the final at the SCG on Saturday, has been able to be played in full while navigating ongoing and fresh border restrictions during the tournament due to Covid-19.

"The bio-security protocols have not only kept players, staff, officials and cricket fans safe, but have also ensured it has been possible to travel across borders and take the BBL to seven different states and territories by reducing instances of close contact with COVID in the community," Alistair Dobson, the head of the Big Bash, said.

Earlier on Friday Sutherland, who represented Australia A against India, was named the men's young player of the year at the Cricket Australia awards.