Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya on Tuesday was officially reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) following an incident during the second Test against India in Colombo. The disciplinary action came after Jayasuriya was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel on Monday, the second day of the Test.
The offence relates to Article 2.2 of the code, which covers inappropriate use or abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, ground equipment or fixtures during an international match.
Jayasuriya’s frustration boiled over at the end of the day’s play after he was dismissed off the final delivery by Manav Suthar. As he made his way towards the pavilion, the Sri Lankan left-arm spinner struck the boundary markers with his bat. While the incident did not lead to a severe punishment, the ICC has added one demerit point to Jayasuriya’s disciplinary record. It is his first offence under the code in the past 24 months.
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The spinner admitted to the offence and accepted the proposed punishment from Andy Pycroft of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. As the player accepted both the charge and the sanction, the matter did not require a formal hearing.
The charge was brought by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, with third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth official Prageeth Rambukwella also involved in the process.
Earlier, India opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka’s pacer Asitha Fernando were docked 25 per cent of their match fees for the ugly altercation on the opening day of the Test. The duo were also each handed one demerit point.
All you need to know about Level 1 offences
Level 1 offences represent the least serious category under the ICC Code of Conduct. Depending on the circumstances, a player found guilty can receive an official reprimand, a fine of up to 50 per cent of the match fee and either one or two demerit points.
In Jayasuriya’s case, the ICC opted for an official reprimand along with a single demerit point.
Speaking of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka, the visitors are in the driver’s seat after posting 503 runs on the board. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel were the standout performers after their centuries. India declared their innings on Day 2 and controlled the game from there on, taking the first seven wickets in no time.