Ranatunga faces possible disciplinary action over walkoff
AFP
25 January 1999
ADELAIDE, Australia, Jan 25 (AFP) - Sri Lankan captain Arjuna
Ranatunga faces the possibility of becoming the first Test cricket
captain to be suspended when he appears before a disciplinary hearing
here Tuesday.
Ranatunga Monday defended his actions in Saturday's confrontational
tri-series match against England, when he argued heatedly with umpire
Ross Emerson after spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was no-balled for
throwing.
Ranatunga will appear at a code of conduct hearing before South
African match referee Peter van der Merwe.
``I think I did the right thing by a colleague of mine who has been the
best bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced,'' Ranatunga said on
television.
The charges against Ranatunga have not been made public, but he could
face a fine or suspension if found guilty of misconduct.
The longest suspension administered for breach of the code was in
April 1997 to Australian vice captain Ian Healy, who missed two
matches for dissent when he threw his bat up the stairs to the team
dressing room after being dismissed in South Africa.
Sri Lanka's cricket board president Thilanga Sumathipala is concerned
there could be further tense scenes in Friday's match against
Australia in Perth, where Emerson is again umpiring.
``Well, we have to sit and wait,'' Sumathipala said before leaving
Colombo en route to Perth. ``Most probably it will be a repeat of the
same episode.''
Asked what steps the team would take if Muralitharan was no-balled
again, Sumathipala said: ``The captain and the players believe that he
(Muralitharan) has got a legitimate action and Emerson is of the view
that he is throwing every now and then.
``The umpire called within the laws of cricket, so we don't have any
question about calling. But there are various other aspects to it,''
Sumathipala said, adding that the Sri Lankan board would have further
discussions with the International Cricket Council.
Sri Lankan team manager Ranjith Fernando said board president
Sumathipala would decide whether to travel on to Adelaide for
Ranatunga's hearing.
Sri Lankan cricket officials held a round of meetings here Monday to
discuss strategy for the hearing, which had been put off for 24 hours
at their request.
``We really don't know what direction we will take,'' Fernando said.
``It is not a minute thing that has been brought about, it is a matter
of principle generally.
``It is not something that can be decided at the drop of a hat.''
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