Dinesh Chandimal appeals against ICC suspension for ball-tampering
Dinesh Chandimal has appealed against match referee Javagal Srinath’s findings that saw him getting a one match suspension for ball-tampering. Srinath stated that player had used an external substance on the ball along with saliva to change the condition of the ball on the second day of the Test.
Sri Lankan captain, Dinesh Chandimal has challenged match referee Javagal Srinath’s decision to suspend him for the third Test match against West Indies for changing the condition of the ball during the second day’s play of the second Test against West Indies, 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 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. Chandimal 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. Hence, Chandimal would now miss the day/night Barbados Test, starting from Saturday.
Explaining that he had reviewed the images carefully, Srinath said, “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 revealed 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 had 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 West Indies first innings after he was informed of the charge by the umpires and the application of a five-run penalty.
The second Test ended in a draw and now, West Indies lead the
