DUBAI: Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and manager Asanka Gurusinha were on Monday suspended for the first four ODIs and two Test matches against South Africa for their role in ball-tampering during the tour of the West Indies earlier this year.
The trio were handed the punishment after they pleaded guilty to “conduct contrary to the spirit of the game”. The independent Judicial Commissioner, The Hon Michael Beloff QC, handed the trio eight suspension points, which means they will miss the first four ODIs along with both the Tests against South Africa.
The three were charged by the ICC Chief Executive David Richardson on June 19 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”, during last month’s St Lucia Test against the West Indies. According to an ICC statement, the Chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission had held a hearing over video conference on July 11 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 July 12-14) and Colombo Test (to be played from July 20-24), 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. (PTI)
