Chandimal, Hathurusinghe suspended for two Tests, four ODIs

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and manager Asanka Gurusinha were suspended for two Tests and four ODIs for their conduct during the 2nd Test match against West Indies, which was against the spirit of the game, ICC stated.

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and manager Asanka Gurusinha were suspended for two Tests and four ODIs for their conduct during the 2^nd Test match against West Indies, which was against the spirit of the game, ICC stated.

The trio had already chosen to sit out from the two-match Test series against South Africa.

The troika were slapped with eight suspension points despite pleading guilty as the ICC came down hard to preserve the spirit of the game. This is the severest punishment since the demerit points system were introduced in last August.

Six demerits points were added to the list of the three members of the Sri Lankan team, taking Sri Lanka captain Chandimal’s tally to 10, having already received four demerit points for the ball-tampering charge during the same Test match in St. Lucia.   

The Sri Lankan team refused to take the field on day three of the second test match after the umpires demanded a change of ball on seeing Chandimal applying saliva containing the residue of something he had in his mouth in day two.

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 the 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.

"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.