Senanayake returns with reworked action

Sachithra Senanayake marked a return to competitive cricket by bowling 22 overs over three matches in Sri Lanka's Mercantile Cricket tournament. Bowling with a reworked action, for the first time since being banned in July this year, Senanayake registered with figures of 0 for 35, 2 for 22 and 3 for 16.

Senanayake was given permission to play in the tournament as per the ICC guidelines after taking corrective measures in consultation with experts at the University of Western Australia. He is presently undergoing extensive training with the local coaching staff headed by Sri Lanka Cricket spin bowling coach Piyal Wijetunge.

"We will carefully monitor his bowling during competitive matches and view the footage and see if further remedial work needs to be done," Jerome Jayaratne, the head of Sri Lanka Cricket coaching, said. "Once we are satisfied with Sachithra's action we will send him for retesting to one of the three ICC testing centres at Cardiff, Brisbane or Chennai."

The Mercantile one-day matches do not hold List A status, but are a major fixture in Sri Lanka's domestic calendar. Although Senanayake's action has not yet been officially cleared, the ICC's guidelines on bowlers reported for suspect actions state that "a player that has been suspended from international cricket… shall be permitted to continue playing domestic cricket [under the supervision and consent of his home board]".