MAHELA JAYAWARDENE is bemused his final series as Sri Lanka's captain could be tainted by disciplinary action against him from his country's cricket board.
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''It is not first time it has happened,'' said Jayawardene, who was also at the helm a year ago when Sri Lanka Cricket was several months in arrears for paying player wages.
Jayawardene lamented the new dispute, which arose after a private email was leaked to a Sri Lankan newspaper, but reckoned it had not compromised his or his team's preparation for the Boxing Day Test.
''I don't know what I have done wrong. The document was released by them and I asked what happened,'' he said.
''I hope it is resolved soon. My focus is on this tour and giving my best for the team. Most of the guys don't know what is going on.''
The 35-year-old has, along with team manager Charith Senanayake, been accused by Sri Lanka Cricket of having breached his contract for publicly complaining to a Sri Lankan newspaper about the conduct of national cricket administrators in allegedly leaking the email.
The dispute arose after Jayawardene privately requested Sri Lanka Cricket share proceeds from the recent World Twenty20 tournament with team coaches, officials and also some groundstaff. The captain was miffed not only that the request was rejected but that the information was conveyed directly to the Colombo-based Daily Mirror.
Jayawardene subsequently, with the help of Senanayake as an intermediary, notified the newspaper he was ''disturbed and deeply disappointed'' that his confidential correspondence with Sri Lanka Cricket had been disclosed, on the basis it was ''causing much concern, embarrassment to players and other staff members''. He said the players had been seeking permission to share the money contractually guaranteed to them with coaches, officials and groundstaff, rather than seek additional money from administrators.
''As a result of what has transpired, I have lost all confidence in dealing with Sri Lanka Cricket in the future,'' Jayawardene wrote to the newspaper.
In response, Sri Lanka Cricket forecast disciplinary action against Jayawardene and Senanayake by declaring their alleged contract breaches ''will be taken up for discussion when the executive committee next meets''.
