Sri Lanka Test Captain Dinesh Chandimal has paid a heavy price for carrying out the instructions of Team Manager Asanka Gurusinha and Coach Chandika Hathurusingha, Cricket Age reliably learns.
On Tuesday ICC charged 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.
However, Cricket Age learns that the decision to refuse to take to the field thus delay the start of the play was not taken by Chandimal, that eventually cost Sri Lanka test match.
“Don’t want to comment on Whether Chandimal tried to alter the shape of the ball or not. But, as for as the two hours delay thing concerned, It was not Chandimal decision” A top SLC Official told Cricket Age.
On Saturday, Sri Lanka team left ground three times, that caused two hours delay. In between, Gurusinha was caught on Camera talking over the phone, while Hathurasingha was continuesly talking to match referee Javagal Srinath.
“As it is a norm for any international match, only Gurusinha had the access of the phone, as a team manager. He was continuesly talking to SLC CEO Ashley De Silva in the phone and getting the instructions. Those instructions were forwarded to Chandimal and he followed those instructions” he revealed further.
“Mr. Ashley was giving the instructions, based on the information provided to him by Hathurusingha and Gurusinha over the phone. So, in either ways Hathurusingha and Gurusinha are responsible for wasting those two hours, not Chandimal” he told further.
