Randiv gets one-match ban, Dilshan fined too

PTI
Bellevision Media Network

Dambulla, 18 August 2010: Sri Lankan Cricket took a stern decision on Wednesday and handed spinner Suraj Randiv, who had denied Virender Sehwag a century with a deliberate no-ball, a one-match ban and fined 100 per cent of his match fee. This means Randiv will miss tomorrow’s match against New Zealand in Dambulla. Senior Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan, who apparently told the bowler to bowl a no-ball, has also been fined 100 percent of his match fee.

 

"As such Sri Lanka Cricket has taken a stern decision against Suraj Randiv and TM Dilshan, for their actions during the 3rd ODI of the Micromax Tri-Series held on August 16, 2010, wherein Virender Sehwag was deprived of scoring his century due to the delivery of a no-ball by Suraj Randiv," the press release by the Lankan Board said. The Board has also advised captain Kumar Sangakkara to ensure that repetitions of such incidents do not occur where disrepute will be brought to the game of Cricket, affecting the spirit of the game.

 

 

In the ODI on Monday, Sehwag was batting at 99 with India needing just one run for victory. He struck Suraj Randiv for a huge six over long-off and raised his bat in celebration, only to realise a moment later that it was a big no-ball from the off-spinner and his runs would not be counted. This incident left a very bad taste in the mouths of the Indian team and cricket fans across the world. Former cricketers slammed Randiv and the team.

 

The young off-spinner, however, apologised to Sehwag after the match. Lankan skipper Sangakkara also said that his team took full responsibility of the incident. He further added that it was the duty of all teams to keep the spirit of the game alive. That (playing in the spirit of the game) is a grey area and it is not in black and white. It is for all the teams in the world. All the teams have experienced something or the other. Presenting yourself well on and off the field and making efforts to play fair are I think part of our job," he said.

 

"Anytime, we stand up to right thing and try to protect the players who are not at fault. In any way due to lack of experience or due to influence, if something happens and if we feel that a player needs to be supported, we support. "But at all times, we hope all players will support the team as well. At the end of the day, what matters is the team. No one can win matches alone. If we do the right thing or the wrong thing, as a team we need to take the responsibility together," said the home side captain.

 

Sangakkara, who is the representative of current players in the ICC Cricket Committee, however, suggested that his players should uphold the spirit of the game. "You need to make sure that you keep trying to impress upon players that the responsibility of playing cricket is not all the time about runs and wickets and winning. Winning and losing is part of the game, the manner in which you play the game and the manner in which you present yourself on and off the field is also important," the Lankan captain said.

 

"It’s not just Sri Lanka, it’s the responsibility of all cricketers of the world. This incident was unfortunate, it’s not Sri Lanka Cricket has to take the sole proprietorship of whole unsavoury incidents. All sides have gone through such incidents including India," he said.

 

Sangakkara was also not happy with Sehwag speaking in two voices on the controversy and "sensationalising" the issue. "We can’t expect just one side to keep making advances and holding out the hand while it has been sensationalised by other players. I think everyone has got the responsibility to move on from this incident," he said when asked if Sri Lankan team has anything to say to Sehwag.

 

"He said one thing at match presentation and there was a mark contrast in the press conference with regard to that no ball. I have spoken to Mahi (M S Dhoni) and Gary Kirsten. Sehwag has tweeted that there have been other approaches made to him. I think if you all talk of the spirit of the game, once you set right things in motion, it’s the responsibility of all players, to be within that spirit," he added.

 

He said he at first thought Sehwag would get his century after the Randiv no-ball was hit for a six only to realise later that it was not so under MCC Laws of Cricket.

 

"We were under impression that in normal situations of the game even in a no ball, you get the runs. I was under the impression that Sehwag was on 105. There was no instance we thought he was denied a 100. Tony Greig asked me at the post-match presentation, Sehwag was denied a hundred. That was a surprise to me, I don’t think anyone understood intricacies of the law in first place," he said.

 

"We had no inclination to deny Sehwag a hundred. If you need three runs to win and four runs to get a hundred, if you score a boundary, you do get a hundred. I would have thought that if he was stumped off a wide, we would have denied him. Maybe it’s something to remember that if someone balls a wide with one run to win you can charge down the wicket and miss it if it is wide," said Sangakkara.

 

The hosts play New Zealand on Thursday, while India’s next game is on Sunday, again against Sri Lanka.