Case against Atapattu dropped

The Sri Lankan board has announced that the match-fixing investigation against Marvan Atapattu has been dropped by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit for lack of evidence. In a press release, Sri Lanka Cricket said that ICC officials confirmed that the case had been dropped.

The case came about when Rs 1.1million (around US$11,150) in cash was found in the room Atapattu occupied at one point during England's tour of Sri Lanka in December 2003. Atapattu has firmly denied knowledge about the money, and has said that it did not belong to him. "I've never carried such huge amounts of money while playing. Others have occupied that room before me and after I left the hotel. That money doesn't belong to me," said Atapattu at the time of the incident. He also stated that he had always been against match-fixing, and had never been involved with bookies or match-fixers.