Sri Lanka Cricketers came forward voluntarily to give evidence, says Mathews..

Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) Captain Angelo Mathews said yesterday the team members including him had come forward voluntarily to give evidence on match fixing approaches as the team was very keen to safeguard the reputation of SLC and the purity of the game.

Mathews who appearedbefore the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) of Police to give a statement on a probe related to alleged match fixing allegations told media that if someone has done any wrongdoing he and the team wanted such individualsto be punished for their offences. However, Mathews lamented that reporting by some of the media created the impression that the cricketers were the ones responsible. “We cricketers are the ones who voluntarily came forward to disclose match fixing approaches’ he stressed.

Mathews said that FCIDhad called him to ascertain whether he had any knowledge as the Captain of thenational team about disclosures made by Kusal Janith Perera and Rangana Herath about match fixing approaches.

Mathews also thanked the SLC, Sports Minister and the FCID for their efforts to keep corruption out of cricket and keep the game clean.