Hathurusinghe, Chandimal awarded maximum punishments

Sports Desk: Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, captain Dinesh Chandimal and manager Asanka Gurusinha have been suspended for four ODIs and two Tests, the maximum punishment possible for acting against the spirit of the game.

Chandimal had been accused by on-field umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar for changing the condition of the ball during last month’s St Lucia Test against the West Indies. The Sri Lankan team took the field on Day 3 after a long delay and then stormed off again. Match referee Javagal Srinath was seen having a long discussion with the Sri Lankan team management after which the team finally took the field after two hours.

Chandimal along with Hathurusinghe and Gurusinha were charged by the ICC Chief Executive David Richardson on 19 June and had pleaded guilty to breaching Level 3, Article 2.3.1, which relates to “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”.

"The Chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission had held a hearing over video conference on Wednesday, 11 July, to determine the sanction, and, after more than six hours of hearing, which was attended by legal counsels of both the sides, had reserved his decision. During the hearing, however, it was mutually agreed that, since the minimum sanction for a Level 3 offence was suspension from two Tests, the three will not participate in the Galle Test (played from 12-14 July) and Colombo Test (to be played from 20-24 July), and these will be credited against the sanction imposed by the Judicial Commissioner. Furthermore, six demerit points each have been added to the disciplinary records of Chandimal, Hathurusinghe and Gurusinha." ICC stated in a press release.

The three will now also miss the first four ODIs of the five-match ODI series after the Tests.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/July 17, 2018/Yeasin/Nasim