Lankan govt promise early, impartial probe

Lankan govt promise early, impartial probe
Agence France Presse

Colombo, April 3: Sports Minister Lakshman Kiriella today vowed to help the International Cricket Council probe allegations of match fixing against two top Sri Lankan players.

Kiriella told Parliament that Sri Lanka would cooperate fully with the ICC investigation into the claims against former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and his deputy, Aravinda de Silva.

His comments came amid allegations that authorities were dragging their feet on the probe. “We are supporting a full and comprehensive investigation and will cooperate fully with the ICC,” Kiriella told Parliament.

However, he said it was unfair to sling mud at the two players before charges were proved. Ranatunga and de Silva must respond to the allegations by tomorrow, which were first made by an Indian bookmaker, M K Gupta.

Gupta told India’s Central Bureau of Investigation that he paid $15,000 for the Sri Lankan duo to engineer a Sri Lankan defeat at the 1994 Test against India at Lucknow.

Ranatunga who led Sri Lanka to its one and only World Cup victory in 1996 has categorically denied accepting bribes, while de Silva said he was approached by bookmakers, but did not accept any money.

Cricket sources said ICC had been less than happy with the pace of investigations undertaken by Sri Lanka’s Board of Control for Cricket (BCCSL), which was sacked and replaced by an interim panel last week.

BCCSL’s lone investigator, Desmond Fernando, has asked Ranatunga and de Silva to make their submissions by tomorrow.

ICC Anti-Corruption unit Chief Sir Paul Condon and his Chief Investigator Jeff Reed put off a visit to Colombo last week, but another ICC investigator Bob Smalley began investigations here last week. Jeff Reed is expected to take part in a hearing with Desmond Fernando this month.