Dinesh Chandimal found guilty of attempting to alter condition of ball, suspended

Chandimal has been suspended for the third and last Test match against Windies and also being fined 100 percent of the match fee.

During the hearing at the end of the second Test match, Chandimal had admitted putting something in his mouth but wasn’t able to recall what it was.

Javagal Srinath of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees has handed over the maximum punishment under the code of conduct.

Commenting on his decision, Srinath said: “After reviewing the footage of the incident, it is clear that Dinesh 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.

“The footage shows that upon receiving the ball, 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.”

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The ICC fully supports the match officials in their decision, which was corroborated by television footage, and will continue to do so in any other such instances”

On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould, and third umpire Richard Kettleborough, all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, had charged Chandimal after play on Saturday for changing the condition of the ball in breach of clause 41.3 of the ICC Standard Test Match, ODI and T20I Playing Conditions.

The officials laid the charge after television footage from the final session’s play on Friday appeared to show the Sri Lanka captain taking sweets out from his left pocket and putting these in his mouth, before applying the artificial substance to the ball which the umpires viewed as an attempt to change its condition.