Melbourne, February 25:

India wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s gloves were illegal. Ricky Ponting’s team’s over rate was too slow. And India fast bowler Ishant Sharma was just a bit too exuberant in his sending off of allrounder Andrew Symonds.

The result is that all three players were warned or fined on Monday by match referee Jeff Crowe following Australia’s 18-run win over India in a tri-series limited-overs match in Sydney on Sunday.

The India captain used the gloves to collect a one-handed catch off an inside edge to dismiss fellow wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist for 16. The ball lodged inside the webbing of Dhoni’s gloves between his thumb and index finger.

Under the laws of cricket, webbing on wicketkeeper’s gloves is not allowed to protrude “beyond the straight line joining the top of the index finger to the top of the thumb.” Dhoni’s gloves appeared to be in violation of that rule.

On Monday, the ICC ruled that Dhoni’s gloves breached the laws of the game.

The Indian skipper was not penalised for wearing the gloves during the match, but ordered to

have them replace or modified and inspected by officials before they are used again.

Sharma was fined 15 per cent of his match fee, an amount that was not disclosed but would likely be less than a $1,000. After Sharma bowled Symonds, there was an animated exchange between the pair and the Indian then pointed the Australian towards the dressing room.

Also Monday, Australian captain Ponting was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for his side’s slow over rate on Sunday. His teammates were fined 10 per cent of their payments. The team was ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances.