Sri Lanka skipper, officials out of South Africa Tests

Captain Dinesh Chandimal and two top Sri Lankan cricket officials have agreed to sit out the Test series against South Africa pending sanctions, the International Cricket Council said on Thursday.

Chandimal, coach Chandika Hathurusingha and manager Asanka Gurusinha had pleaded guilty to violating the spirit of the game last month during Sri Lanka's second Test against the West Indies.

The ICC said a judicial commission hearing ended overnight, hours before the first Test against the visiting South Africans was due to start at Galle today but a decision would be announced "in due course".

"In the interim, Chandimal, Hathurusingha and Gurusinha, who have pleaded guilty, have agreed not to participate in both Tests v SA," cricket's governing body said on Twitter.

"This will be credited against sanction imposed by commissioner." The trio were charged by ICC chief executive David Richardson for their involvement in the Sri Lankan team's refusal to take the field in St. Lucia on the third day of the second Test, which caused a two-hour delay in the start of play.

Sri Lankan were protesting the award of five runs to the West Indies after Chandimal was caught tampering with the ball during the previous day's play.

Chandimal missed the third and final Test after losing his appeal against a one-match ban and a fine equal to his match fees.

Match referee Javagal Srinath had said Chandimal applied an artificial substance to the ball in violation of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Chandimal was suspected of using saliva and a sweet that he had in his mouth to tamper with the ball in an attempt to make it spin more. His act was caught by TV cameras.