Sri Lankan pacer Shaminda Eranga reported for suspect action

Sri Lankan cricket has been going through a terrible phase in the last one year or so and it seems there is no immediate respite for them as their premier fast bowler Shaminda Eranga has been reported for a suspect action after the second Test match between Sri Lanka and England concluded yesterday. It is reported that the officials of the 2nd Test have handed over a report to the Sri Lankan team, mentioning doubts about his action. Sri Lanka lost the Test match by 9 wickets and thus conceded the 3-Match series to the rampaging English side. Sri Lanka's valiant effort in the second innings went in vain as England knocked off the required 79 runs on the 4th day of the Test match and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

The speedster will now have to get his action tested at an ICC accredited centre within 14 days and his closest option will be the Loughborough University in England. However, he can continue bowling till the results of that test are known.

Eranga’s performance in the series

The Chester-le-Street Test was officiated by Aleem Dar and S Ravi and the match referee was Andy Pycroft. The 29-year-old pacer’s action came under the scanner for the first time and if the action is found to be illegitimate then he will be barred from bowling in international cricket matches till he alters his action.

Eranga’s absence will be a big blow to an already beleaguered Sri Lankan attack as they have already lost their premier fast bowlers Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera due to injury. The team from the isle is on the verge of a demoralising 3-0 whitewash and things are really not going their way at this moment. Eranga hasn’t been impressive either in the series so far, picking up just the one wicket in 47 overs across three innings.

Sri Lanka’s batting has let them down considerably on this tour as they have struggled to tackle the English duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. The batsmen showed a bit of resilience in the 2nd innings of the second Test as they scored 475 runs to make England bat again and save themselves from the ignominy of an innings defeat.

Eranga has so far played 18 Tests, 17 ODIs and 3 T20Is for his country and in his first ODI, against Australia in 2011, he deceived none other than Ricky Ponting who failed to read his slower ball and offered a return catch to the bowler. He even bowled a superb delivery in that game to rattle the stumps of Brad Haddin. On his Test debut against the same opposition, Eranga dismissed Shane Watson to became only the second Sri Lankan bowler to strike with his very first delivery.