Sri Lanka coach gets fixing ban, skipper Mathews to meet police

MUMBAI (Reuters) – Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews will appear before police on Tuesday to record a statement in connection with a match-fixing scandal that has led to the suspension of a fast bowling coach.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) handed Anusha Samaranayake a two-month ban on Monday over his relationship with net bowler Gayan Wishwajith, who allegedly approached national team players to underperform during a test match against West Indies in October.

“Sri Lanka Cricket has received several complaints regarding the close acquaintance of Anusha Samaranayake and the main suspect Gayan Wishvanath, who had approached several national players for the alleged illegal activities of match-fixing,” the SLC said in a statement.

“Pursuant to a preliminary inquiry conducted in this regard, Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to suspend Anusha Samaranayake for a period of two months until further investigations are concluded.

“Gayan Wishvajith has been totally barred from participating in any capacity whatsoever in Sri Lanka Cricket in the future.”

The police’s Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) have already interviewed wicketkeeper Kusal Perera and leading spinner Rangana Herath about an alleged offer of thousands of dollars to engineer a batting collapse for a West Indies victory in the match at Galle.

“Mathews is appearing today with regard to the same match-fixing case, in which two people were suspended,” an SLC official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Perera is himself facing a four-year ban after the International Cricket Council (ICC) provisionally suspended him for failing an out-of-competition anti-doping test in October.

Sri Lanka Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera suggested last month that Perera could have paid the price for reporting the alleged match-fixing offer and said the country would appeal against the wicketkeeper’s provisional suspension.

“Both players (Perera and Herath) had been approached by some people to lose the second test match against West Indies in Galle last year,” a sports ministry official said.

“Then they both complained to the authorities and the sports minister. Based on the complaints, the FCID started the investigations.”

($1 = 143.8 Sri Lankan rupees)

(By Shihar Aneez, Writing by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by John O’Brien)