Sri Lanka skipper Mathews records statement in Perera-Herath case; wants cricket clean

Colombo: Appearing before police to record his statement in connection with a match-fixing scandal, Sri Lankan cricket team captain Angelo Mathews on Tuesday called for the game to be protected from vices like fixing.

The match-fixing scandal led to the suspension of a fast bowling coach on Monday.

“I answered all their questions honestly to help them in their investigation,” Mathews said of his meeting with Financial Crime Investigations Division (FCID).

The Sri Lankan skipper clarified the investigation was into the bookie approach, which his team-mates duly reported, and not over players’ possible involvement in match-fixing.

Team manager Jerry Woutersz has also been interviewed by FCID.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) yesterday sacked academy fast bowling coach Anusha Sanaranayakae for two months over involvement in an alleged attempt to fix a Test match against the West Indies last October. SLC also barred Gayan Wishwajith from participating in any capacity in Sri Lankan cricket or entering any cricket premises in the future.

Wishwajith is being investigated by the SLC for allegedly approaching several national players for match-fixing and is seen as a “close acquaintance” of Samaranayake.

Earlier this month, Sri Lanka’s sports ministry had reported an alleged fixing approach made to national team players Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath during the West Indies October tour, to the country’s Financial Crimes Investigation Department.

Perera had alerted officials about an approach made by bookies to him and Herath to under-perform before the Sri Lanka-West Indies Test at Galle.

PTI