Giles reports Mathews to ICC
The Sunday Times learns that the ECB chairman Giles Clarke has reported the Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews to the ICC on comments that made while being interviewed by the BBC Sinhala service Sandeshaya.
England's Alistair Cook (L) and Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews (R) pose with the series trophy at Lords cricket ground in London on June 11, 2014 ahead of the first Test match between England and Sri Lanka. AFP
While speaking to Saroj Pathirana of the BBC Sinhala Service Mathews while answering a question claimed off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake’s bowling action was reported because England found him difficult to face. Mathews said “I think when you travel to some parts of the world and people find a certain bowler difficult to handle they tend to report,” Mathews told BBC Sinhala.
“Sachithra has been cleared before; we’re very confident of him.”
Lankan off spinner Sachithra Senanayake was reported on 2 June under Law 24.3 by umpires Ian Gould and Marais Erasmus following Sri Lanka’s victory in the fourth one-day international at Lord’s.
An annoyed SLC insider commenting on the incident said “It is a very highhanded act. Then what about the comments made by the England captain Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara. I don’t think we should lie low. We also must take up the case. We feel that this is the Big Three at work”.
However the ‘Mankading’ incident that also involved Senanayake sparked off tensions between the two camps with series of allegations and counter allegations on the spirit of cricket.
So far the ICC has not made any official comment on the issue.
Meanwhile Sachithra Senanayake whose bowling action was reported by the ICC umpiring panel and match referee Jeff Crowe during the 4th ODI between the two countries, will fly to England on June 27.
There he will visit the Metropolitan University, Cardiff for Tests on the reported flexing of the arm. There the biomechanics will test him to see if the bend of his arm is more than the ICC permitted 15 degrees.
Senanayake will be accompanied by the Sri Lankan Spin Bowling Coach Piyal Wijerunga.