Akila barred from bowling for one year

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan off-spinner Akila Dananjaya was banned from bowling in international matches for a year after his bowling action was found to be illegal, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Thursday.

The 25-year-old was subjected to an independent assessment of his bowling action after umpires questioned his style in the first Test against New Zealand at Galle in August, the ICC said.

It recalled that he had been suspended in December after being reported by umpires during the first Test against England in November 2018, but was permitted to resume bowling in February following “remedial work on his action.”

However, he was found to have an illegal action following another assessment after being reported again last month, the ICC said.

“As the latest report constitutes the player’s second report within a two-year period, the first of which led to a suspension, he is automatically suspended from bowling in international cricket for a period of 12 months,” the ICC said in a statement.