Ranatunga rubbishes match-fixing claims

Former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga denied match-fixing charges in a letter published on Sunday, saying he felt insulted to even have to consider them.

Ranatunga, who has just been questioned along with leading Sri Lankan batsman Aravinda de Silva following a worldwide probe into cricket corruption, argued that the allegations by an Indian bookmaker were too weak to be taken seriously.

"The allegations against me are based entirely on the wholly uncorroborated evidence of a self-confessed rogue ... which has been made six years after the date of the alleged incident," Ranatunga said.

"The said allegations are so patently ridiculous and manifestly unworthy of consideration that I should have thought that the BCCSL (Sri Lanka cricket board) or any person of sound mind possessed of even an iota of sense of justice would have rejected them with the contempt they deserve."

The letter was sent to lawyer Desmond Fernando, appointed by the Sri Lankan cricket board last November to examine allegations in an Indian police report that Ranatunga and de Silva had taken bribes from bookmakers to throw matches.

Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to their 1996 World Cup triumph, and de Silva were among several international players named in the report.

Since the scandal last year, three former test captains -- South African Hansie Cronje, India's Mohammad Azharuddin and Pakistan's Salim Malik -- have been banned for life.

Ranatunga added: "The very fact that I have been called upon to make observations on the allegations...is a grave insult to me which I resent and which has caused me considerable sadness and pain of mind."

Fernando said on Thursday that the questioning had gone well. The Sunday Times newspaper, though, reported that Ranatunga's lawyers had challenged the presence of two officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC), saying they did not have a mandate to attend the questioning.

The newspaper said all the questions were asked by Fernando, with the ICC officials looking on.

Earlier story: Questioning ends for Ranatunga, de Silva

Mail Cricket Editor