Sanga not guilty of physical contact

CRICKET: DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, Aug 21 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's captain Kumar Sangakkara did not breach the players' code of conduct during a tri-series match against New Zealand, the world governing body said on Saturday.

Sangakkara was pulled up by match referee Alan Hurst after he collided with Black Caps' bowler Nathan McCallum while turning for a second run during Friday's match in Dambulla.

Hurst charged Sangakkara with a Level 2 offence of the International Cricket Council's Code of Conduct which relates to "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play."

But the former Australian fast bowler let off the Sri Lankan captain after examining video evidence of the incident.

"I looked at video footage of the incident from various angles and considered the detailed evidence of the umpires," Hurst said in an ICC statement.

"I found that video evidence that was put forward by the player provided reasonable doubt as to whether the contact was deliberate."

The match was abandoned due to heavy rain with Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, on 203-3 from 43.4 overs.

Sangakkara was ticked off by Sri Lanka Cricket on Wednesday for another incident when off-spinner Suraj Randiv bowled a deliberate no-ball to deny Indian batsman Virender Sehwag a century. The incident occured on Monday when Sehwag, on 99 with one run needed for victory, smashed Randiv for a six, but the delivery was declared a no-ball by umpire Asad Rauf for over-stepping.

It meant India had surpassed Sri Lanka's total of 170 without any runs being added to the batsman's score. Television replays showed Randiv overstepped by a long way, indicating he may have deliberately bowled the no-ball to deny Sehwag a hundred.

Randiv was suspended for one match and fined his match fees, while senior player Tillakaratne Dilshan forfeited his fees after an internal inquiry revealed he may have prompted Randiv to send down the no-ball.

Sri Lanka Cricket had warned Sangakkara to ensure such incidents were not repeated "where disrepute will be brought to the game of cricket, affecting the spirit of the game".

Sri Lanka is in a must win position Sunday (22) against India at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium if they are to have any chance of wining the Micromax Tri-Nation Series Trophy in the Triangular Cricket Tournament.

Right now, New Zealand are on top of the points table with seven points and Sri Lanka have scored six points both having played three matches, while India have five points after two games. Each side plays the other twice in the preliminary league with the top two qualifying for the final on August 28.

Sri Lanka and New Zealand shared points when their triangular one-day series cricket match was abandoned on Friday due to rain.