Mushtaq Ahmed believes the ECB are right not to throw the book at Chris Read.

The Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper has been charged with abusive behaviour towards an opponent after confronting Mushtaq during the second day of the Championship match at Hove - but he will not suspended.

His verbal volley in front of stunned Sussex members and England's chairman of selectors David Graveney came after he was dismissed by Mushtaq for a duck.

After returning to the dressing room Read hurled his bat across the players' balcony before racing down the stairs to confront Mushtaq.

The pair had a heated exchange, with only an advertising board to separate them, before Read's team-mate David Hussey and a steward dragged him away.

One eye witness said: "Read was very upset and started having a real go at Mushy who was defending himself saying he was entitled to appeal.

"It was unbelievable. If there had not been an advertising board between them I think Read might have grabbed hold of Mushy."

Umpires Graham Burgess and Rob Bailey met the pair after play and they emerged ten minutes later chatting happily and shaking hands.

Burgess confirmed that Read has been charged with a level two offence under the ECB's disciplinary code which carries a three-point penalty. If he reaches nine points over the next 24 months he faces an automatic two-match ban.

Mushtaq said: "It may have looked bad but I didn't get too upset.

"These things can happen when people are disappointed and Chris is the same as anyone else and I have sympathy for him.

"He has apologised, we have shaken hands and I hope that is the end of it. I wouldn't like to see him punished badly for what has happened."

Read, who has played 11 Tests and 28 one-day internationals apologised for his outburst. He said: "It was totally out of character and won't happen again."

Graveney had turned up to check on the form of the player who is regarded as Geraint Jones' main rival for the England wicketkeeper's position.

Speaking exclusively to The Argus Graveney said: "I'd just pulled into the ground when Chris was given out. I did see the incident although it's not fair for me to make judgements from the other side of the ground.

"Chris has a completely unblemished record when it comes to that sort of behaviour. It very rarely happens in cricket which I suppose makes it more of a story."

Mushtaq had already been spoken to by Burgess after a surfeit of appeals during his spell - although Burgess later confirmed that it was not an official reprimanded.