Chandimal to miss 3rd Test

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal will miss the third and final Test against the West Indies in Barbados beginning today after losing his appeal against ICC's decision to ban him for a match following a ball-tampering row.

"Judicial Commissioner, Michael Beloff, has dismissed Dinesh Chandimal's appeal after the Sri Lanka captain was found guilty of changing the condition of the ball during the second day's play in the second Test against the Windies in St Lucia on Saturday," ICC said in a statement.

ICC Match Referee Mr Javagal Srinath had slapped Chandimal with two suspension points, which equates to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20s, and fined 100 per cent of his match fee after finding him guilty of attempting to change the condition of the ball by applying a foreign substance.

Chandimal was charged with ball tampering after video evidence indicated that he applied saliva to it shortly after putting what the ICC suggested was a sweet into his mouth during the second Test in St Lucia.

The 28-year-old will thus miss the first ever day-night Test to be held in the Caribbean with the hosts leading the three-match series 1-0.

However, ICC cleared Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and manager Asanka Gurusinha for the third Test after they accepted the charge of acting against the spirit of the game by refusing to take the field in the second Test.

The three were charged by the ICC chief executive David Richardson on Tuesday for their involvement in the incident at the start of Saturday's play, which caused a two-hour delay in the start of play.

After a preliminary hearing, ICC decided to conduct the hearing on July 10 with the decision on sanction to follow.

"Until the hearing takes place and Mr Beloff QC determines the appropriate sanctions for the Level 3 breaches, Mr Hathurusinghe and Mr Gurusinha can continue to perform their professional responsibilities, including in the Barbados Test," ICC said.