Sri Lanka manager dissapointed by failure to discipline Akhtar

Sri Lanka team manager Air Commodore Ajith Jayasekera expressed disappointment on Tuesday night that no action was taken by the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee in Sharjah after a verbal outburst by Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

Jayasekera, speaking at a press conference to welcome the West Indies cricket team, said he was disappointed that ICC match referee Dennis Lindsay, the former South African Test wicket-keeper, did not take any action against Shoaib for his bad mouthing of Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene in the final.

Shoaib whose first delivery was hit for six by Jayawardene uttered four letter words at the batsman after dismissing him for 43. Wasim Akram cooled the heated situation by apologising to the departing Jayawardene.

Jayasekera said that at the end of the tournament he had mentioned this incident in his report to the ICC. The Sri Lanka manager added that even former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd who was the CBFS technical committee chairman had expressed disappointment that no action was taken.

Jayasekera also voiced his surprise that Lindsay failed to dock Pakistan for a slow over rate in the dress rehearsal for the final after they had exceeded the scheduled time to bowl their overs.

Jayasekera said Pakistan finished their quota of 50 overs 12 minutes late. No explanation was forthcoming from the match referee as to why Pakistan were not penalised for their pedestrian over rate.