Protest over eligibility of players

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN, Kandy Sports Corr.

When Meepawala Amarasuriya Central College, Galle travelled upto Kandy to play Sri Sumangala College, Kandy in their schools limited over Division III cricket tournament match at Pallekelle yesterday they ran into some serious problems which could even result in serious action taken by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association for the gross violation of rules.

Before the commencement of the match Sri Sumangala College lodged a verbal protest with the match referee S. Indrajith about the eligibility of five players from the visiting team who were included in the team card.

Match referee Indrajith perused the national identity card of two players and found them to be overaged and gave a ruling that they cannot play in this match as it will make the game null and void.

The documentation regarding the other three players were not in order but a telephone call to an official cleared them and were allowed to play in the match which Sri Sumangala College accepted under protest.

During the lunch interval match referee Indrajith felt suspicious about one of the players whose movement and association with other players looked strange and was distancing himself.

Match referee Indrajith called this player and questioned him by asking simple questions like admission number, name of the principal and class teacher and the form he was studying. He could not answer a single question.

This player next put the suspicious beyond doubt when the two teams posed for a group photograph refused to be a part of it fearing that it will bear tell tale evidence.

Match referee Indrajith was now more than convinced that an outsider had been included in the team said that he will send a detailed report to the school cricket authorities.