ICC charges Dinesh Chandimal for breaching the Code of Conduct

The ball-tampering controversy hit the ongoing second Test match between Sri Lanka and Windies on Saturday in St. Lucia. The umpires suspected that the visitors’ skipper Dinesh Chandimal changed the condition of the ball and decided to change it which didn’t go down well with the team. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has now decided to charge Chandimal for breaching Level 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

The team had refused to take the field after the charges were pressed against them which delayed the start of play on Day 3. Even the match referee Javagal Srinath was seen speaking to the Sri Lankan team management and after a two-hour long delay, sanity prevailed and the play resumed.

What are the charges?

Windies were also awarded the 5 runs as the on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould confirmed that the condition of the ball was changed. Chandimal has breached Article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to changing the condition of the ball in breach of clause 41.3 of the ICC Standard Test Match, ODI and T20I Playing Conditions.

The article 2.2.9 states: Any action(s) likely to alter the condition of the ball which were not specifically permitted under clause 41.3.2 may be regarded as ‘unfair’. The following actions shall not be permitted (this list of actions is not exhaustive but included for illustrative purposes): (a) deliberately throwing the ball into the ground for the purpose of roughening it up; (b) applying any artificial substance to the ball; and applying any non-artificial substance for any purpose other than to polish the ball; (c) lifting or otherwise interfering with any of the seams of the ball; (d) scratching the surface of the ball with finger or thumb nails or any implement.

What about the game?

As far as the state of the Test match is concerned, the visitors got their thoughts together to come out of the controversy and bowled well. They bundled out Windies for 300 runs thereby restricting their lead to 47 runs. Lahiru Kumara proved to be the pick of the bowlers for them. However, in their second attempt, Sri Lanka went to post 34 runs and closed in on parity by the end of the day’s play even as they lost Kusal Perera.

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