Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, coach Chandika Hathurusingha handed four ODI, two Test ban for ball-tampering

Dubai: Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, coach Chandika Hathurusingha 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. [caption id=“attachment_4549821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal and coach Chandika Hathurusingha. Image courtesy: Twitter @ICC[/caption] The three 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, 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 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. “As eight suspension points equate to a ban from two Tests and four ODIs/T20Is or eight ODIs/T20Is, whatever comes first for the player or player support personnel, the Judicial Commissioner’s ruling means the three will also remain suspended for the Dambulla ODIs (29 July and 1 August) as well as the Kandy ODIs (5 and 8 August),” the statement read. Furthermore, six demerit points each have been added to the disciplinary records of Chandimal, Hathurusingha and Gurusinha. The sanction relates to an incident where the 28-year-old Chandimal was found guilty of changing the condition of the ball during the second day’s play of the second Test against West Indies at Gros Islet last month. He was seen applying saliva containing the residue of something he had in his mouth to the ball during the Test in St Lucia.