Vithanage failed to inform anyone before he left the team hotel for the entire night

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have placed batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage on probation for one year after he left the team hotel overnight without informing anyone.

The incident occurred during the first Test against Pakistan in Galle and as a result of his actions, Vithanage was also fined his entire match fee.

An SLC inquiry found out that Vithanage had indeed left the team hotel at 7pm and only returned at 6.30am the following morning.

“The executive committee received the recommendations from the inquiry, and decided to give Vithanage a suspended sentence of one year,” SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.

Giving Vithanage a “suspended sentence” means that if he commits another violation like this before September 15, 2015, he will be banned.

Head coach Marvan Atapattu and captain Angelo Mathews both wanted Vithanage dropped from the squad for what he did. However, following a request from chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya, Vithanage was allowed to stay with the team.

However, according to an email sent to SLC, team manager Michael de Zoysa claimed that Vithanage has allegedly left the team hotel on two previous occasions, the first coming in Bangladesh and the second in the United Kingdom.

It is understood that Jayasuriya had a stern word with Vithanage about the issue.

According to that same email, Vithanage apologised for leaving the team hotel without informing anyone, and claimed that he attended a bana and pirith ceremony [Buddhist religious ceremony] at a temple.