Sri Lanka Cricket hand Kithuruwan Vithanage one year suspension for misconduct

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have suspended Kithuruwan Vithanage from all forms of the game for one year after finding him guilty of misconduct and breaching the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Code of Conduct. [caption id=“attachment_2881378” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sri Lankan cricketer Kithuruwan Vithanage. AFP[/caption] According to local media reports, the 25-year-old was involved in a late night public brawl in Colombo in June. This is the second disciplinary issue involving Vithanage in as many years. In September 2014, the left-handed batsman, who last played for his country in January, was fined his full match fee and handed a “suspended sentence of one year” after leaving the team hotel overnight during a test tour. “The Disciplinary Committee was presented with written and oral evidence from witnesses to the incident in question and Vithanage was invited to present similar evidence in his defence,” the SLC said in a statement on Thursday. “Accordingly, the Executive Committee has confirmed the intimation made to Vithanage of his immediate suspension, and for a period of one year. He may appeal this decision.” The last of Vithanage’s 10 test appearances came against New Zealand in December. He has scored 370 runs at an average of 26.42 in the longest format of the game. He has also played six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games.