Zaheer inspired by sweet prank

Zaheer Khan says that the prank played by England's fielders inspired his five-wicket haul.

India's Zaheer Khan has claimed that the prank played by England's fielders inspired his five-wicket haul in the second npower test at Trent Bridge.

Zaheer was batting on Sunday when a number of jelly beans were thrown onto the wicket - an action he described as "insulting".

An angry Zaheer was then seen brandishing his bat in the direction of Kevin Pietersen at gully, with match umpires Simon Taufel and Ian Howell subsequently speaking to England captain Michael Vaughan about the incident.

But the left-arm seamer had the last laugh on Monday, Zaheer taking five wickets for 74 as England were dismissed for 355.

And, with India 10 without loss at stumps, they now need just 63 runs on the final day to ensure victory and a 1-0 series lead.

"We are here to play cricket and that's what we're looking to do...for me, it definitely inspired me to do well," Zaheer said.

"When I go out onto the cricket field I'm serious and I'm there to play cricket. This is Test match cricket we're playing."

No action has yet been taken, but match referee Ranjan Madugalle can punish players if he believes the ICC's Code of Conduct has been breached.

Zaheer continued: "There were some jelly beans on the crease while I was batting so I chucked one off the wicket to start with.

"Then when I played the next ball there were again some jelly beans on the wicket so obviously someone was chucking them from behind, which I didn't like.

"I went up to them and asked 'what is all this about?' I'm here to play cricket and they came at me and I was upset about it and I reacted accordingly.

"I didn't know where it was coming from so maybe I picked the wrong one (fielder), but I wasn't bothered at that time.

"I felt it was insulting - I wasn't sure where it came from but it definitely came from a fielder."

Meanwhile, India paceman Shantha Sreesanth has been fined 50 percent of his match fee after pleading guilty to barging Vaughan.

Sreesanth was deemed to have been guilty of a breach of the ICC's Code of Conduct after admitting a Level 2 charge brought against him by Taufel and Howell, third umpire Nigel Long and fourth official Neil Mallender.

The specific charge relates to clause 2.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play."