BUBBLE BREACHERS’ DOMESTIC BAN RESCINDED

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has rescinded the domestic cricket ban handed to Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella, subject to the players paying their respective fines. The three cricketers were banned from international cricket for a year and from domestic cricket for six months, along with a fine of approximately Rs. 10 million, after breaching the bio-secure bubble while on tour in England in July.

The Daily Mirror yesterday exclusively reported that the reduction in the domestic cricket ban was to be decided on at a management committee meeting last morning, and SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva confirmed the players will be allowed to represent their clubs next month.

“We will inform the Ministry that we will allow them to return subject to them paying their fines,” de Silva said.

The players were also mandated to visit an SLC recommended counsellor and while they are yet to receive the final report, which a key determinant for the rescinding of the ban, indications are that the cricketers have responded positively. The six-month ban will end on December 28 this year, which will only be after the Major League 50-over club tournament starting next month and the Lanka Premier League (LPL).

Meanwhile, former national captain Angelo Mathews will also be considered for selection after he wrote to SLC and made himself available for national duty. Following a months long impasse between SLC and the national cricketers, Mathews asked that he not be considered for selection, due to personal reasons. However, Mathews had written to SLC on Monday, expressing a desire to return and as such will now join the squads training at the High Performance Centre for future international tours.