Sri Lanka National Coach Chandika Hathurusingha is most likely to miss upcoming home series against South Africa, after he has been charged with conduct contrary to the spirit of the game along with team manager Asanka Gurusinha and captain Dinesh Chandimal, after their side refused to take to the field on Saturday During the second test against West Indies at Gross Islet.
“On Their instructions Sri Lanka team refused to take to the field on Saturday. This is a serious offense and accordingly Hathurusingha can be suspended for 2 to 4 Tests or 4 to 8 ODIs or T20Is” a top official of ICC Told Cricket Age.
Gurusinha is anyway going to take New post at SLC as High Performance Manager, however after the incident, his appointment has been put in jeopardy.
“SLC will access the scenario regarding Asanka Gurusinha in next few days and will decide on him. As of now, his appointment as High Performance manager is on hold” a top official of SLC told Cricket Age.
The ICC Chief Executive David Richardson on Tuesday charged Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, Hathurusinghe and Gurusinha with a breach of Article 2.3.1, a Level 3 offence, which relates to conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.
The three have been charged for their involvement in the Sri Lanka cricket team’s refusal to take to the field in St Lucia at the start of Saturday’s play, which caused a two-hour delay in the start of play. This action is alleged to amount to a serious breach of the Laws of Cricket and to be contrary to the spirit of the game.
If any of the three plead not guilty, then the ICC, as per Article 5.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, will appoint a Judicial Commissioner from its Code of Conduct Commission to determine the matter.
During a hearing held at the end of the St Lucia Test, in which video evidence was used in the presence of the Sri Lanka team management as well as the match officials, Chandimal admitted putting something in his mouth but wasn’t able to recall what it was.
