ICC suspends Galle groundsman Jayananda Warnaweera

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Galle stadium groundsman Jayananda Warnaweera for three years after the former Test player failed to cooperate with anti-corruption officials.

The 55-year-old Sri Lankan, who played 10 Tests and six one-day internationals, was previously handed a two-year suspension by his own country's board in November for the same offence.

The ICC said Warnaweera was charged after he missed meetings and also failed to provide documents to its anti-corruption unit (ACU) for an investigation, the details of which were not disclosed.

"Warnaweera failed, on two separate occasions, to attend a scheduled interview with the ACU in relation to an ongoing investigation and failed to provide documents required from him in connection with the investigation," an ICC statement said.

"Warnaweera also failed to respond in any manner to the charge and... he is consequently deemed to have accepted that he committed the offence charged, waived his right to a hearing, and acceded to the imposition of a sanction."

On Monday, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) banned fast bowling coach Anusha Samaranayake for two months over his relationship with net bowler Gayan Vishwajith, who allegedly approached national team players to under-perform during a Test against West Indies at Galle in October.

Sri Lanka police's Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) has interviewed wicketkeeper Kusal Perera, spinner Rangana Herath and captain Angelo Mathews about an alleged offer of thousands of dollars to engineer a batting collapse for a West Indies victory in the match.

"The ICC takes no pleasure in imposing a suspension but this decision clearly illustrates what the (anti-corruption) Code means to the ICC and how seriously we take matters that relate to corruption," Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of the ACU, said.

"It should also act as a reminder to participants of the need to comply with their obligations under the Code.

"The ICC has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and it will not hesitate in taking such decisions in its endeavour to eliminate this menace from the sport."

Mathews said: "We all want this game to be clean and for anyone who has done wrong to be brought to court. The cricketers felt really uncomfortable in the last few days. They are the ones who came forward to the ICC and also to the SLC."