Kusal Janith Perera faces polygraph test
Lankan opening batsman Kusal Janith Perera who was recalled from Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand in December last year and subsequently suspended over the usage of the banned substance ‘nandrolone’ has been subjected to two more tests by the ICC, according to informed sources.
It is said that the ICC authorities have carried out two polygraph tests including a Hair Test on March 8 and 9 and are awaiting the results.
An SLC insider told the Sunday Times “We are waiting for the results of the two polygraph tests done on him. Once the results are out we are hoping to move into action. Initially we have to get the ICC authorities to give us an early hearing and then the lawyers will take over the defense so that the sentence will be a lenient one”.
Earlier the SLC has been advised that a sample provided by Kusal Janith Perera for random testing carried out by the ICC during the recent Pakistani Tour, yielded a positive result for a banned substance.
Once there were reports claiming that the test was positive because of drugs he had taken to treat a leach bite on the recommendation of a physiotherapist but they failed to inform the ICC about the usage of the substance. Kusal Janith Perera’s sample was tested positive after the tests were carried out in a laboratory in Qatar.
Meanwhile in the most important of coaching division, the SLC authorities have decided to have yet another round of talks with former national coach Davenell Whatmore to take over the local ‘A’ team and the Emerging teams.
Last week, talks between Whatmore and the SLC stalled with the two parties disagreeing about the IPL window for the former Sri Lanka born Australian national cricketer. The former coach, who was at the helm when Sri Lanka won the ICC World Cup title twenty years ago almost to date, is looking to sign up with one of the cash rich IPL entities and the tournament is scheduled to begin soon after the ICC T-20 World Championships.
However looking at the importance of the task the Lankan authorities have decided to have another round of talks with Whatmore.
SLC secretary Mohan de Silva speaking to the Sunday Times said “Now with Aravinda de Silva taking a closer look at the state of affairs in the Lankan coaching sector, we have decided to talk to Whatmore again. Besides Whatmore there are other candidates like Englishman Chris Adams along with David Newsworthy and Dale Benkenstein – both from South Africa.
The Sri Lanka Cricket secretary further said “Now it is said that SLC has completely given up the idea of Zonal Cricket. It is not so. What we are striving to do is to place the best possible cricket structure for Sri Lanka that everyone could agree upon. Besides even the National Development Committee of Sri Lanka has passed a sum of Rs. 750 million (and not 750 thousand million as earlier stated) for the development of the game of cricket in the country.
“Now we are in the process of forming the SLC Cricket Committee to be headed by Aravinda de Silva. There are several prominent cricket personalities in the fray which includes Kumar Sangakkara who is also helping out with the selection process, besides that we are very confident that Mahela Jayawardena also would join the committee once his other commitments are over”.