London, Jan 16: The International Cricket Council has expressed concern over Sri Lanka Cricket Board's repeated statement suggesting the investigation by anti-corruption wing of the world cricket governing body has concluded its investigation into the presence of 1.1 million rupees in a room that was occupied by a leading Lankan batsman Marvan Atapattu. ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed, said in a statement yesterday that he has written to Sri Lanka Cricket Board to establish if it had issued any media statement suggesting that the matter had been concluded as has been reported in some quarters.
"If, as has been reported, Sri Lanka cricket issued a statement suggesting that this matter has been finalised, I would be concerned," he said.
Not only is it inaccurate to make this suggestion, it is also inappropriate for a board to usurp the role of the anti corruption and security unit which is an independent body that makes its own judgment about these issues and reports to the ICC, he said.
This is not an area that is within the jurisdiction of an individual board. If any board made inappropriate or inaccurate comments about the work of the ACSU, he said adding he would take the matter up with the Sri Lankan board.
"As far as the inquiry is concerned what can be said with certainty at this stage is that the investigation is on-going and that the ACSU is continuing with its inquiries in order to establish these facts,” he added. Bureau Report