Sri Lankan allrounder Dasun Shanaka, who was charged of his 75 match fees for ball tampering during the second day of the second test on yesterday, did not commit anything wrong, according to a highly placed team official.
“Shanaka told the team management that he just wanted to change the ball, as the seam of the ball had been come out” A top official told Cricket Age.
Though, Match Referee David Boon found him guilty and sentenced a fine of 75 percent match fees.
The incident happened in the 50th over when TV cameras caught Shanaka picking the seam of the ball.
Shanaka was found to have breached Article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “changing the condition of the ball in breach of clause 41.3.”
The charge was laid by on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Nigel Llong and fourth umpire Chettithody Shamshuddin after the end of second day’s play.
