Chamara Silva slapped with two-year ban for misconduct

Colombo [Sri Lanka], Sept 17 (ANI): Former Sri Lankan cricketer Chamara Silva has been slapped with a two-year ban from all `cricket-related activities` for misconduct and violating 'spirit of the game' during a domestic match.

The suspension comes seventh-month after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) launched an enquiry to examine a Tier-B game between Panadura Cricket Club, captained by Silva, and Kalutara Physical Culture Club which saw unusual scoring rates.

The match has been declared null and void.

While Silva and his counterpart Manoj Deshapriya have been barred for two years, the other players and managers have been handed a one-year suspension.

Besides bans, the two clubs have also been fined Rs. 500,000 each.

Reflecting on Silva's suspension, SLC vice-president K Mathivanan said, "Silva was given the harshest sentence despite not being on the field on the third day. [Silva] is the captain-cum-coach [of Panadura] so he's responsible."

"For any team the captain is responsible. Whether he made the decision or not, we don't know that part. But according to the ICC rules - even for slow over-rates - the captain is responsible," ESPNcricinfo quoted Mathivanan as saying.

There were speculations that Silva had deliberately stayed away from the final day of the play because he knew foul play was afoot, but Mathivanan refused to buy into that theory.

"How do you know that he didn't agree [to manipulate the result]? He could have come and given evidence in front of the independent committee [that had made the inquiry into the incident]. He never did.And also, each player had been represented by lawyers, including Chamara Silva. Lawyers appeared on behalf of all the club players," Mathivanan said.

Silva, who played his last match during a T20I series against Pakistan in 2011, has appeared in 11 Tests and 75 ODIs matches for Sri Lanka between 1999 and 2011.(ANI)