Tags:
Journalism of Courage
LONDON, MAY 1: An Indian bookie had approached three prominent Sri Lankan Test cricketers eight years ago for fixing matches but the offer was rejected, the British media has reported.
Current skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan Mahanama and Asanka Gurusinha were reported by the Sunday Times as the trio who had spurned such an offer.
The paper, quoting a source, said the incident occured during Australia’s 1992 tour of the Island.
The then Sri Lankan Board President Tyrone Fernando, confirmed such an approach was made and admitted the concerns of the three players were not treated with due seriousness.
“In hindsight, we should have taken the matter more seriously,” he told the weekly newspaper.
Gurusinha, who migrated to Australia soon after the 1996 World Cup victory and lives in Melbourne, was reluctant to discuss specific events related to the allegations while Mahanama and Jayasuriya were not available for comment, the paper said.
But Sidath Wettimuny, former Sri Lanka skipper, who is here to attend the world body’s (ICC) two-day EGM from Tuesday to discuss match-fixing, said “three of the guys were approached and Roshan was certainly one of them. He came to speak to me about it”.
The Sunday Times claimed an attempt was also made by a bookie to corrupt one of the players in 1996, but the offer which was said to be around $250,000 and subsequently doubled, was rejected.
In 1994, the Sri Lankan Board had ordered an inquiry into the National team’s performances after a disastrous tour of India during which they suffered innings defeats in all three tests.
The report had said “there is evidence that a bookmaker of Indian origin has attempted to make his presence felt in the National cricket scene. The subject of `gambling with the toss’ had been a part of discussions at one of the team meetings on the tour. There is, however, no further evidence available in this field”.
