Colombo Test sees third player sanctioned for incident
Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya has received an official reprimand, becoming the third player sanctioned during the second ICC World Test Championship match against India in Colombo. The sanction follows an incident after his dismissal during Sri Lanka’s first innings.
Jayasuriya was found to have violated Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This article addresses the “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
Incident Details and Sanction
The incident occurred on Monday, at the close of play, following Jayasuriya’s dismissal on the final delivery of the day. As he made his way back to the pavilion, he struck the boundary wedges with his bat.
A demerit point has been added to Jayasuriya’s disciplinary record. This marks his first offence within a 24-month period. He admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.
Due to his admission, a formal hearing was not required. The charge was initially brought forward by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, along with third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Prageeth Rambukwella.
This sanction makes Jayasuriya the third player from the Colombo Test to be penalised by the ICC. The other two players, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando, received penalties for an incident that occurred on the opening day of the fixture.
That earlier incident took place in the 17th over of India’s first innings after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal. The India batter approached Fernando, and words were exchanged. Fernando then moved his head towards Jaiswal, who in response, leaned in, resulting in contact between their heads.
Match Context and Criticisms
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar criticised Sri Lanka’s conduct during the final moments of Day Two of the second Test against India in Colombo. He described the hosts’ behaviour regarding the fading light as “slightly unprofessional.”
Sri Lanka concluded the day at 8/2 after India declared their first innings at 503/9. The hosts were already facing a significant deficit when Prabath Jayasuriya was dismissed by Manav Suthar in the final over of the day.
Both Kamil Mishara and Jayasuriya had repeatedly expressed their displeasure with the decision to continue playing in deteriorating light. Jayasuriya showed visible frustration after being given out lbw, throwing his gloves inside the dressing room. The Sri Lankan camp also expressed their displeasure as players left the field.
Manjrekar suggested that Sri Lanka’s focus on the light conditions might have diverted their attention from the match itself. He commended Suthar for capitalising on the situation. Manjrekar stated on the Sony Sports Network that while teams might want to alert the umpire to bad light, they should not lose focus on the game.
He further elaborated that the light was not so poor as to prevent seeing the ball, but rather it was a certain level of darkness that is considered bad light and offered to the batter. While acknowledging that Sri Lanka might have had a valid point regarding the light, Manjrekar maintained that it did not excuse Jayasuriya’s dismissal.
He described Suthar’s delivery as “great” and a “superb delivery from process at the finish.” The final session of the day had initially seemed headed for an early conclusion when rain briefly interrupted play, leading to covers being brought onto the field. However, India appeared reluctant to leave the ground, seemingly pressing the umpires to resume proceedings.
The rain soon subsided, allowing play to restart. This enabled India to make further progress against the Sri Lankan batting order. Prasidh Krishna dismissed Lahiru Udara before Suthar removed Jayasuriya, leaving Sri Lanka at 8/2.
Manjrekar credited India for remaining on the field and advocating for play to continue. He noted that India’s presence on the field, even when covers were being put on, played a role. He suggested that India’s stance, as a prominent team in world cricket, could exert pressure on umpires if they believed play could resume and the light was adequate.
India concluded the day in a strong position, holding a 495-run lead, with Sri Lanka having lost two wickets in just three overs.
The incident involving Jayasuriya occurred after his dismissal on the final delivery of the day on Monday.
Source: icc-cricket.com
