No show-cause letters given to cricketers yet

It’s being 16-days since Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka were flown home after allegedly breaching the team’s bio- secure bubble during Sri Lanka’s recent tour to England, but no show-cause letters have been issued.

The trio are facing disciplinary inquiry following the highly-publicised unauthorised late-night- out fiasco, which showed them roaming the city without adhering even to the basic health guideline of wearing a mask.

Two videos from Durham emerged showing Mendis, Dickwella and Gunathilaka out in a public place. The players had been told they were not allowed to go towards Durham City Centre. They admitted to having been there. The SLC "suspended" and recalled them immediately.

Later, a five-member committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court Nimal Dissanayaka and includes lawyers Panduka Keerthinanda, Asela Rekawa, Uchitha Wickremasinghe and Maj. Gen. (Retd) M.R.W. De Zoysa was appointed but an inquiry is yet to commence.

The Sunday Times can confirm that, even though the Board issued a media statement saying the players were suspended pending inquiry, no formal suspension is being issued to them. There were early indications from the SLC that they would take the matter seriously as they recalled the players and appointed the high-profile panel. But there are signs of interested parties within the Board that are trying to sweep it under the carpet.