Monster crocodile caught in Australia after 10-year search
Canberra, July 10 : Park rangers in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) have caught one of the region's biggest crocodiles after a decade-long hunt.
The male saltwater crocodile measuring 4.71 metres in length and weighing in at 600 kg was trapped by the rangers in the Katherine River, 320 km south of Darwin, on Monday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.
Another 2.37-metre crocodile was also caught in the river on the same day, approximately 60 km downstream of the town of 6,000 people.
Rumours of the monster crocodile have been circulated in the area since its large tail was first spotted near a local boat ramp in 2008.
NT Parks and Wildlife rangers Chris Heydon and John Burke said it was unusual to find a crocodile larger than 4.5 metres in the Katherine River system. "We average a 4.2-metre croc most years, but never this big," Burke told the media on Tuesday.
Traps were deployed in the system two weeks ago after three large crocodiles were observed during aerial surveys earlier in the year.
The two captures brings the total number of saltwater crocodiles caught in the NT in 2018 to 188, seven of which have been in the Katherine River.
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DC bowling coach Munaf fined 25 percent of match fee for IPL Code of Conduct breach
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Capitals bowling coach Munaf Patel has been fined 25 percent of his match fee and accumulated one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the high-octane game against Rajasthan Royals here.
The match went down to the wire on Wednesday night with DC winning the edge-of-the-seat thriller in a Super Over after both teams were tied at 188 runs.
The former India pacer "admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.20 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which pertains to the conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game," said an IPL statement.
"Munaf Patel, Bowling Coach, Delhi Capitals has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team's match against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Wednesday," said the statement
Munaf, the statement said, had "accepted the Match Referee's sanction".
The statement did not specify Munaf's exact offence but it is likely that he was penalised for his argument with a match official after the former India pacer was not allowed to send a player into the middle to convey his message.
Munaf, a key member of India's 2011 ODI World Cup-winning squad under MS Dhoni, was appointed DC bowling coach in November last year replacing James Hopes.
Article 2.20 covers all types of conduct that are contrary to the spirit of the game and are not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct.
"...Article 2.20 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) the use of an illegal bat or illegal wicket-keeping gloves; and (b) failure to comply with the provisions of clause 6.3 of the IPL Match Playing Conditions," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"...the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered. The person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
