Sri Lanka to thrash out ``chucking'' row in Australia (24 January 1999)

24 January 1999

Sri Lanka to thrash out "chucking" row in Australia

AFP

COLOMBO, Jan 24 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's Cricket Board, angered by Australian umpire Ross Emerson calling Muttiah Muralitharan for an illegal delivery in a match against England, has said it will retain lawyers to battle the case.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL), which had an emergency meeting here Sunday, empowered its president Thilanga Sumathipala to seek the services of lawyers, if necessary, to defend Muralitharan.

"The president is going to Australia on a pre-planned visit today (Sunday) and he was asked to get the help of lawyers if the need arose," a spokesman for the BCCSL said.

Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, who was seen pointing a finger at Emerson during the match in Adelaide on Saturday, is due to face a disciplinary hearing Monday before South African match referee Peter Van der Merve, officials here said.

Ranatunga protested umpire Emerson's no-ball call against Muralitharan for throwing in the one-day international and gestured to his players to walk off to the dressing room.

The board on Saturday said it would seek advice from the world governing body of the sport, the International Cricket Council (ICC), over the controversy.

"The BCCSL is both angered and saddened by what happened and is at this moment considering what course of action should be adopted," the BCCSL said.

Despite Sri Lankan players leaving the field at Adelaide for 12 minutes on Saturday, they scored a record 303 for nine to win the against England by one wicket.

Source :: AFP