Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal and coach Chandika Hathurusingha have been suspended for four ODIs, in addition to the two Tests they are already sitting out, after receiving the maximum possible punishment for their spirit of cricket offence. Team manager Asanka Gurusinha also receives the same sanction.
Following a ball-tampering row, the trio had been charged with the level 3 offence over Sri Lanka’s refusal to take the field on day three in the second Test in St Lucia last month, a refusal that resulted in a delay of roughly two hours. Although they had pleaded guilty, and made the case that the entirety of the delay was not their fault, and that ICC match officials had failed to follow correct protocol, judicial commissioner Michael Beloff has imposed the harshest possible sentence, of eight suspension points.
Six demerit points have also been added to the records of all three men, which, for Chandimal, brings his demerit point tally to 10, having received four demerit points over the original ball-tampering offence. This means Chandimal is on very thin ice for the next 24 months. If he collects two further demerit points – for anything from slow over rate, to a breach of the code of conduct – he will be suspended for a further three Tests, or six limited-overs internationals, or a combination of the two depending on the schedule.
More to follow
Source: ESPN Crickinfo