Sri Lanka skipper charged with ball-tampering by ICC
June 17, 2018
Sri Lanka cricket captain Dinesh Chandimal has been charged with breaching the International Cricket Council Code of Conduct in the fallout of the ball-tampering controversy in the second Test against the West Indies.
The international governing body tweeted the news, detailing that the captain was in breach of Level 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for 'changing the condition of the ball - the same charge leveled at Australia batter Cameron Bancroft during the infamous Cape Town Test in March.
On Saturday, a ball-tampering controversy threatened play on the third day of the second Test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka with only an hour's play possible on a bright, sunny morning after the Sri Lankans initially refused to take the field.
Following concerns raised by umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould about the condition of the ball nearing the end of the second day, the Sri Lankans were advised before the start of play on Saturday that they could not continue with the existing ball.
This resulted in Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal declining to lead his team onto the field with the West Indies set to continue their innings at 118 for two in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 253.
Animated discussions then ensued involving match referee Javagal Srinath and the Sri Lankan pair of coach Chandika Hathurusingha and team manager Asanka Gurusinha and it appeared for some time that the day's play at least and possibly the rest of the match might be in doubt.
After initially appearing to be prepared to resume the match, the Sri Lankan cricketers then hesitated even as they were making their way out to the middle.
