COLOMBO // Sri Lanka's Suraj Randiv has apologised to India batsman Virender Sehwag for having denied him a century by bowling a no-ball to concede victory, according to the Sri Lanka team manager. Anura Tennakoon said he conducted an inquiry yesterday and submitted a report to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for further action on the matter. He refused to disclose details of the report. Sehwag was on 99 when India needed five runs to win a tri-series match in Dambulla on Monday.
A ball in the 35th over went for four byes to level the scores, before Randiv bowled a no-ball. Sehwag hit a six off it but it was not added to his total because the laws of cricket count the extra run first. "Certainly Suraj Randiv has apologised to him [Sehwag]," Tennakoon told The Associated Press. "I believe he made a sincere apology and must be feeling that he has done something wrong." Sehwag accused Randiv of deliberately denying him a century against the spirit of the game. The Indian batsman later sought to put the incident behind him, writing on Twitter: "Guys, Randiv came to my room last night and apologised." SLC said it was "disconcerted" by the incident and wanted to clear the team's name. In a statement issued on Monday, it said: "We are perturbed and disconcerted by the news reports which indicate that Virender Sehwag had been deliberately deprived of a reaching a century by Suraj Randiv bowling a no-ball in the last over. "Sri Lanka Cricket, being winners of the 'ICC Spirit of the Game' award for two consecutive years, is extremely proud of its team and their achievements and conduct both on and off the field. "As such, it is necessary to clear the good name of Sri Lanka Cricket and Sri Lanka as a sporting nation on a priority basis. * Associated Press
