Tainted Indian pacer S Sreesanth''s ban for alleged spot-fixing will end next August, BCCI Ombudsman D K Jain has ordered,observing that the cricketer is well past his prime having already served six years.
But on March 15 this year, the Supreme Court set aside the BCCI disciplinary committee''s order.
Now, in an order passed on August 7, Jain said "ends ofjustice" would be met by making it a seven-year suspension and letting himplay next year.
"...for Mr Sreesanth, who is now in his late thirties,his prime years as a Cricketer, particularly as a fast bowler may already beover," Jain reasoned in his order.
"... I am of the view that banning Mr. Sreesanth fromparticipating in any kind of commercial Cricket or from associating with anyactivities of the BCCI or its affiliates, for a period of seven years witheffect from 13.09.2013, i.e. the date from which, the period of ban imposed bythe Disciplinary Committee had commenced, will meet the ends of justice,"Jain said in the order.In April this year, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushanand K M Joseph said that Jain would reconsider within three months, the quantumof punishment for Sreesanth for his involvement in the spot-fixing episode.
The BCCI, on February 28, told the apex court that the lifeban imposed on Sreesanth was "fully sustainable in law" as he had"tried to influence" a match.Sreesanth''s lawyer countered thearguments and told the court that no spot-fixing took place during the IPLmatch and that allegations levelled against the cricketer were notsubstantiated by evidence.
Senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for the BCCI,referred to the recorded telephonic conversations in the matter and told thecourt that it was clear that money was demanded and was "probablyreceived" also.He said there were allegations that Rs 10 lakh was paid toSreesanth for conceding 14 runs in his second over in an Indian Premier League(IPL) match between the Rajasthan Royals and the Kings XI Punjab at Mohali inMay 2013.
Sreesanth has all along maintained that the allegations arefalse and he is innocent.
The Kerala speedster turned up in 27 Tests, 53 ODIs and 10T20 Internationals for India, claiming 169 wickets in all. He last played forIndia back in 2011.
