Is Sachithra jumping the gun?
In a move that could be a case of ‘deliberately falling prey’, former Sri Lanka and Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake has issued a ‘public notice of intended action’ in response to a news item of an ‘allegation’ made by a young player in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL).
His statement mentions the name of former S. Thomas’ College and SSC cricketer Tharindu Rathnayake, who had supposedly complained to the Anti-Corruption Unit of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), but does not clearly state on what basis.
Senanayake, who is referring to “several media extracts published on November 24 and several posts appearing on social media by direct reference and/or innuendo trying to defame, slander and attribute on me over matters” explains that he “absolutely has no connection with”, probably referring to a news item published in a leading local Sinhala newspaper.
However, the news item refers no mention to any name or club except for a “young player” who had been approached by a “former Sri Lanka player” to fix matches at the ongoing LPL. The said young player, according to the report, represents the Colombo Kings franchise, the team that won the curtain-raiser game of LPL in a Super Over thriller against Kandy Tuskers on Thursday.
The report goes on to state that the “young player” had promptly informed the SLC Anti-Corruption Unit on the approach, and the “off-spinner”, who had approached the youngster is said to be presently overseas playing a league competition.
The “youngster”, now inside the safety bubble of LPL in Hambantota, is said to have been approached by the “former player” via phone, and the newspaper report quotes LPL Tournament Director Ravin Wickramaratne, stating that “officials handling the matter do not provide information on such incidents, even if the complaint has been made”.
Officials of the SLC Anti-Corruption Unit are presently in Hambantota for the LPL, where two officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit have also flown into the island as observers.
Last weekend SLC issued an official statement, which said that the “LPL 2020 will have all the necessary measures in place to protect the absolute integrity of the tournament and will adopt a zero-tolerance policy against any wrongdoing”.
The news report on the alleged approach, which follows four days after the SLC statement, further states that the complaint has reached the ICC. But it’s unclear on how the process will pan out as the local and global cricket Anti-Corruption Units do not disclose information while an investigation is on.
However, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jagath Fonseka of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Police told the Sunday Times that so far it had not received any directive or request from SLC’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
“If SIU is instructed with relevant information, we will initiate investigations. Our officers are currently in Hambantota as part of the ongoing LPL. Even we got to know about an alleged approach to fix matches through newspaper reports. Other than that we are not aware of anything further,” SSP Fonseka stated.
A follow-up report on the same incident published in a leading local Sinhala daily newspaper ‘Lankadeepa’ reveals that the said “former player” who had approached the youngster, had made several attempts to get involved with the LPL as a player, but franchises have not complied to his request.
The report says that he had contacted team managers and coaches of certain franchises with the intention of convincing them to include him into the squad.
The report obliquely sums up an incident when the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit officials abruptly took in a Sri Lankan cricketer for questioning in connection to a match fixing incident two years ago during a series. Even the electronic devices used by the player were apprehended during the questioning by the ICC, who later discharged him without any further proceedings or pressing charges.
Under such circumstances, it’s unclear as to what prompted former off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake to make a ‘public notice’ on his Facebook account a day after the first report was published on November 24. The statement, which is said to have been made public having obtained legal advice, however, was taken off from his Facebook account page a day later.
By then few cricket websites across Sri Lanka and India have already given the statement the due publicity, which is stated below.
| Public Notice of intended action I refer to several media extracts published on 24th of November 2020 and several other posts appearing on Social media by direct reference and/or innuendo trying to defame, slander and attribute on me over matters that I have abosolutely no connection with. Having obtained legal advice on same, I respond as follows. The media extracts contained several alleged claims without mentioning my name explicitly, based on the statement made by one Tharindu Rathnayake, a fellow cricketer. I have known Mr. Rathnayake very well since 2016 as both of us play for SSC together. I have helped him on many occasions during this period as a team mate as he was trying to establish himself as a cricketer. I vehemently deny any connection to me over the allegations that Tharindu is said to have made in connection with the ongoing LPL and I hereby place all media and the general public on express notice that I shall be compelled to take necessary action for any publication, dissemination or sharing of such unsubstantiated and manifestly frivolous allegations bringing myself, my cricket and my family into public ridicule, shame, detriment and damage. - Sachithra Senanayake
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