Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and manager Asanka Gurusinha have admitted to breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct during the side's second Test against West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia.
The trio has breached Article 2.3.1, a Level 3 offence, which relates to "conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game".
Following their admission, the ICC, in accordance with Article 5.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, has appointed Michael Beloff QC as the Judicial Commissioner to hear the case to determine the appropriate sanction.
Beloff has also been appointed as the Judicial Commissioner to hear Chandimal's appeal against the match referee's decision for changing the condition of the ball.
As per Article 5.2.3, the Judicial Commissioner will use Friday's hearing in that appeal to hold a preliminary hearing to establish the procedural schedule on the Level 3 charges.
The three were charged by the ICC Chief Executive David Richardson on Tuesday for their involvement in the Sri Lanka cricket team's refusal to take to the field in St Lucia at the start of Saturday's play, which caused a two-hour delay in the start of play.
Sri Lanka did this after the on-field umpires had informed them ten minutes prior to the beginning of play that they had decided to change the ball after they suspected its condition had been illegally altered.
This action was alleged to amount to a serious breach of the Laws of Cricket and to be contrary to the spirit of the game.
All Level 3 breaches carry an imposition of between four and eight suspension points.
Earlier, Chandimal had appealed against the ICC's decision to impose a one-Test ban on him after finding him guilty of ball-tampering.
The decision, taken by ICC match referee Javagal Srinath, barred the batsman from appearing in the third Test of the ongoing series between Sri Lanka and West Indies, which is slated to be held from June 23 at the Kensington Oval Barbados.
The 28-year-old was charged for altering the condition of the ball during the second Test of the series at St. Lucia against West Indies, which the Caribbean side went on to win by 226 runs. He allegedly violated the ICC rules by applying an artificial substance to the ball.
Chandimal had pleaded not guilty of the ball-tampering charge but the defense he gave during the hearing was termed 'unconvincing" by the match referee.
On a related note, the second Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka ended in a draw. The two sides will play their third and final match from Saturday at the Kensington Oval Barbados.
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