Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal will miss his side’s third Test against the West Indies after being found guilty of ball tampering by the International Cricket Council yesterday.
Chandimal was found guilty of changing the condition of the ball during the second day’s play of the second Test, which concluded at Gros Islet on Monday.
“It is clear that Dinesh Chandimal applied an artificial substance to the ball, namely saliva containing the residue of something he had in his mouth, an action which is prohibited under the ICC Code of Conduct,” said match referee Javagal Srinath after the judgement.
The player was suspected of using saliva and a sweet to tamper with the ball and give it more spin after television images picked it up. The Sri Lanka captain got two suspension points and was fined 100 per cent of his match fee.
The points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player, Chandimal will now miss the day-night Barbados Test, starting from Saturday.
Explaining the decision Srinath said he had reviewed the images carefully. He commented: “Dinesh took something from his pocket and put it into his mouth. After sucking or chewing whatever he put in his mouth for a few seconds Dinesh then proceeded to spit on his finger and polish the ball with his saliva which would have contained the residue of the artificial substance that he had in his mouth, on two separate occasions.”
The referee also said that Chandimal had been less than convincing in his defence. “During the hearing, Dinesh admitted to putting something in his mouth but couldn’t remember what it was, which I found unconvincing as a defence,” he said.
At the time of the incident Chandimal denied charges when they were filed by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould, and third umpire Richard Kettleborough.
There were concerns that the Test match was in jeopardy on the third morning on Saturday when Chandimal refused to lead his team onto the field for the continuation of the Windies first innings after he was informed of the charge by the umpires and the application of a five-run penalty.
Play was delayed for two hours as animated discussions took place involving Srinath and Sri Lankan team officials. With the second Test drawn Windies lead the three Test series 1-0.
The tourists stayed focused on events on the field in reducing the home side to 64 for four in early afternoon on Monday after setting the West Indies an unlikely victory target of 296.
However Kraigg Brathwaite’s obdurate, unbeaten 59, with support from Shai Hope and captain Jason Holder ensured that the showers which came in the final session, coupled with deteriorating light, eliminated the Sri Lankans’ chances of levelling the series. Shannon Gabriel took the last two wickets of the Sri Lankan second innings within minutes of the start of play to finish with the outstanding innings analysis of eight for 62 and match figures of 13 for 121, the third-best by a West Indian in Tests and the best-ever by a Caribbean bowler in home conditions.
When he wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings for 342 by bowling Akila Dananjaya, Gabriel also reached the landmark of 100 Test wickets. Kasun Rajitha, the debutant fast-medium bowler who claimed three wickets in the first innings, rocked the West Indies with the wickets of Devon Smith and Kieran Powell within the space of three deliveries at the start of the final innings of the match. Senior seamer Suranga Lakmal accounted for Roston Chase and Hope but time ran out on the striving Sri Lankans and they were left frustrated by the weather, which once again closed in during the final session and leaves them trailing in the series ahead of the final Test in Barbados, beginning on Saturday.
It will an historic occasion at Kensington Oval as the first day/night Test to be played in the Caribbean and will also be starting on the 90th anniversary of the West Indies’ first day of Test cricket against England at Lord’s in London on June 23, 1928.
Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya and Dinesh Chandimal (right) set the field during Day 5 of the 2nd Test against West Indies at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, St. Lucia, on Monday. (AFP)
