Ishant, Chandimal suspended for one match each

New Delhi, September 1 - India pacer Ishant Sharma and Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal were suspended for one international match each for breaching ICC's code of conduct during the third Test match here, an International Cricket Council statement said on Tuesday.

Two other Sri Lankan players -- pacer Dhammika Prasad and left-handed batsman Lahiru Thirimanne were also fined 50 percent of their match fees for misdemeanour.

The suspension means that Ishant will miss India's first Test against South Africa, in Mohali from November 5. Chandimal will miss Sri Lanka's opening One-Day International (ODI) against the West Indies on November 1 in Colombo.

India defeated Sri Lanka in the third match by 117 runs to clinch the series 2-1, winning a Test series at the Island nation for the first time since 1993.

"Three Sri Lanka players and India's Ishant Sharma have been found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in two separate incidents during the penultimate day's play in the third Test against India at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo.

Dinesh Chandimal has been handed one Suspension Point for breaching Article 2.2.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to 'inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a Player'," the ICC statement said.

"The incident happened in the 76th over when Chandimal made deliberate physical contact with Sharma when India’s number-11 batsman was in the middle of a heated exchange with fast bowler Dhammika Prasad.

"Just before the contact between Chandimal and Sharma, Lahiru Thirimanne had twice ignored the umpires’ warnings not to get involved in the incident. For their roles in the incident, both Thirimanne and Prasad have been fined 50 percent of their match fees. The two players were charged under Article 2.1.1, which relates to 'conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game'," it added.

Ishant was pulled up for a separate incident. While batting on Monday, Ishant was involved in an altercation with Prasad, Chandimal and Thirimanne.

"In a separate incident, which happened in the first over of Sri Lanka's second innings, Sharma was handed two Suspension Points for giving a send-off to opener Upul Tharanga.

Sharma was charged under Article 2.1.7, which relates to 'using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match'.

This was the third time that Sharma been found guilty of giving the dismissed batsman a send-off during this series," ICC said.

Commenting on the decisions, ICC match referee Andy Pycroft said: "Monday’s incidents were not good advertisements for international cricket. These experienced cricketers forgot their fundamental responsibilities of respecting their opponents as well as the umpires, and got involved in incidents which were clearly against the spirit of the game. Their actions cannot be condoned and must be discouraged.

Chandimal was not directly involved in the incident between Prasad and Sharma, but came into the conflict and made deliberate physical contact with Sharma, and had the umpires not intervened, the situation could have escalated.

“As regards Sharma, he had been put on notice after being charged twice for send-offs in the previous Test. Any repeat of this action within the next 12 months will potentially see him suspended for a much longer period.”

The four players admitted the offences and accepted the proposed sanctions following the close of play on Tuesday and no formal hearings were required to deliver the verdict.

(IANS)