Dimitri Mascarenhas banned and fined for Twitter rant

Mascarenhas is currently out of action with a long-term Achilles problem

Hampshire's Dimitri Mascarenhas will miss the opening fortnight of next season after he was banned and fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The ECB slapped a £500 fine on the all-rounder, who has already been hit with a £1,000 county fine for his Twitter rant about selector Geoff Miller.

The 32-year-old Mascarenhas quickly apologised to Miller and Hampshire after using expletives in his outburst.

Mascarenhas is currently out of action with a long-term Achilles problem.

The Hampshire all-rounder had pleaded guilty to both ECB charges - a personal attack in a public statement and bringing the game into disrepute - and apologised unreservedly.

"The panel considered this to be a serious breach of the regulations particularly given his status as a senior cricketer and club captain," said an ECB statement.

Mascarenhas is not the only England cricketer to be fined for using obscenities in Twitter messages criticising selectors, with former captain Kevin Pietersen recently receiving an undisclosed fine.

The ECB are currently talking to the Professional Cricketers' Association - the body which represents the players - over bringing in controls over the use of social networking sites, with a policy to be in place in time for this winter's Ashes series in Australia.

Mascarenhas has played 20 one-day internationals and 14 Twenty20 internationals for England.