Sri Lanka probes bid to fix West Indies Test

‘Dope test possibly tampered’

COLOMBO, Dec 18, (AFP): Sri Lankan authorities are investigating a bid to bribe members of the national cricket team to under-perform in a recent Test to ensure a surprise victory for the West Indies, the government said Friday.

Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera said a man linked to a bookmaker had offered wicketkeeper Kusal Perera and star bowler Rangana Herath tens of thousands of dollars to engineer a Sri Lankan batting collapse at a Test in Galle in October, which the hosts went on to win emphatically.

“They wanted Sri Lanka to get out early for a very low score. This is a match Sri Lanka was expected to win, but if they lost, the bookie would have made a lot of money,” Jayasekera told AFP.

The minister said some 10 million rupees (around $70,000) had been offered to the players to lose the match. Police had mounted a search for the suspect who was said to have approached the two players.

“After Kusal turned down the offer, the man approached Herath who also rejected the offer and alerted the authorities,” he said.

“We have started a police inquiry in addition to an anti-corruption probe by Sri Lanka Cricket,” Jayasekera added, in reference to the national cricket board.

Sri Lanka beat the tourists from the Caribbean by an innings and six runs after veteran left-arm spinner Herath took 10 wickets in the match on the country’s

When rain halted play 23 overs short of the day’s scheduled 90, Mathews was unbeaten on 63 with Dushmantha Chameera yet to score.

Siriwardana, in only his fourth Test, was out for 62 after joining Mathews for Sri Lanka’s record fifth-wicket partnership against New Zealand of 138, eclipsing the 133 set by Mahela Jayawardene