Chandimal suspended for one match; Malinga to lead

Saturday, 29 March 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dinesh Chandimal will miss Sri Lanka’s final group match against New Zealand after he was suspended for one game due to Sri Lanka being found guilty of maintaining a slow over rate for the second time inside 12 months under his leadership.

ICC match referee David Boon ruled Sri Lanka were one over short, as they strove to defend 189 against England in Chittagong on Thursday. Chandimal will also be docked 20% of his match fee, while his team incurs a 10% fine. Sri Lanka had deliberated on bowling strategy at length in the final overs of the game, and had also routinely sought to dry the ball, which was becoming covered in dew. The ICC rule allows for reasonable time expenditures beyond the players’ control - presumably including the drying of a wet ball - but despite this, and also having bowled spinners for eight of their 19.2 overs, Sri Lanka were ruled to have taken too long in the field. Chandimal’s previous offence had come on 21 November against New Zealand, in Pallekele. The team had been one over short on that occasion as well, and he had also incurred a 20% fine that served as a warning for suspension. Sri Lanka team manager Michael de Zoysa said Lasith Malinga would captain the side in Chandimal’s absence. In better news for Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene has been cleared of serious damage after his left ring finger was dislocated when he dropped Alex Hales at deep square-leg. He had the finger put back into position and an x-ray confirmed no fracture.