Randiv banned for one match, Dilshan fined for no-ball fiasco

T V Sriram

Dambulla, Aug 18 (PTI) Miffed by the no-ball furore, Sri
Lankan Cricket Board Wednesday cracked the whip on its players
by suspending Suraj Randiv for one match and imposing a fine
on Thillakaratne Dilshan for their role in deliberately
depriving Indian opener Virender Sehwag a century.

Captain Kumar Sangakkara was also reprimanded and has
been advised to ensure that repetition of such incidents do
not occur in future.
"Suraj Randiv has been suspended from the next match
against New Zealand tomorrow (Thursday) and his match fee for
the India Vs Sri Lankan match on August 16, 2010, has been
forfeited," SLC said in a statement Wednesday.
"TM Dilshan's inference in this issue has resulted in his
match fee for the same match also being forfeited.
"Furthermore, Captain Kumar Sangakkara, too has been
advised to ensure that repetition of such incidents do not
occur, where disrepute will be brought to the game of Cricket,
affecting the spirit of the game," the statement added.
The decision to take disciplinary action against the
players was taken by the six-member committee which meet this
afternoon to discuss the recommendations of team manager who
probed the 'no-ball' controversy.
The development came on a day when the ICC also indicated
that it could take action against guilty players under its
Code of Conduct and the Board of Control for Cricket in India
saying that it would expect its Sri Lankan counterparts to
take action.
"Sri Lanka Cricket is extremely proud of its team and
their achievements over the years. It is of paramount
importance to maintain the discipline of the Gentlemen's game,
especially with Sri Lanka Cricket being winners of the 'ICC
Spirit of the Game' award for two consecutive years," the
statement said.
"As such Sri Lanka Cricket has taken a stern decision
against Suraj Randiv and T M Dilshan, for their actions during
the 3rd ODI of the Micromax Tri-Series held on August 16,
2010, between India, in Dambulla, wherein Virender Sehwag was
deprived of scoring his century due to the delivery of a no
ball by Suraj Randiv," it added.
Sehwag was just one short of his 13th ODI hundred when
Randiv, who had not bowled a no ball in the Test or ODI series
this season, bowled one which was hit by the opener for a six.
However, it did not count because the no ball amounted to
India's winning run leaving Sehwag stranded on an unbeaten 99.
International Cricket Council Chief Executive Haroon
Lorgat said the world body would first look at the findings of
the investigation by SLC before contemplating any action on
its own.

"SLC has now taken up the matter and we are happy about
that. We are closely looking into the matter, what SLC's
findings are after their investigation," Lorgat said.
"We are trying to establish whether it (no-ball by Suraj
Randiv) was a deliberate act or not. Then we will go ahead
according to the ICC Code of Conduct. We are waiting for the
SLC finding, before that I don't want to speculate," he said
before SLC came out with its disciplinary action.
The BCCI, on its part, steered clear of the controversy
but said it would expect the SLC to act under ICC Code after
the thorough probe.
"BCCI can't do anything because we are bound by the ICC
rules. The existing rule can't be challenged. This is an issue
of conduct of a player," BCCI Media and Finance Committee
Chairman Rajiv Shukla said.
Embarrassed by the 'no-ball' controversy, Sri Lanka
Cricket had Tuesday initiated an inquiry into the incident
by team manager Anura Tennekoon even as the bowler and top SLC
officials offered apologies to calm the furore.
The apologies prompted the Indian team management to
declare the episode a "closed chapter" while the BCCI also
made it clear that it would not pursue the case any further.
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