Mathews testifies over complaint about match-fixing

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):

Sri Lanka cricket captain Angelo Mathews testified before police yesterday over a complaint that some national team players have been approached by a person with an offer to fix matches for money.

Financial crimes investigators interviewed Mathews for several hours.

"They wanted to know, as the captain, if I knew anything in detail. I answered all the questions," Mathews said outside the police station. "We all want this game to be clean. Whoever has done something wrong, we want them brought before the court."

Mathews said the inquiry was only about the match-fixing approaches reported by players, not against the players themselves.

"The cricketers felt really uncomfortable in the last few days because they were the ones who came forward and reported this to the ICC (International Cricket Council) and SLC," Mathews said.

The questioning came a day after Sri Lanka Cricket, the sport's local governing body, suspended senior fast bowling coach Anusha Samaranayake for links with a practice bowler who is said to have brought the offers.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and opening batsman Kusal Perera reported the approaches to the authorities.

Samaranayake, who has been working with the fast bowling academy for many years and helped in the development of many leading bowlers, has been suspended for two months pending an inquiry. The net bowler identified as Gayan Wishwajith has been banned from all cricket activities.

- AP