Test Skipper Dimuth Karunarathne arrested

Sri Lanka Test Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne has been arrested by the Borella Police. A senior officer attached to the Borella Police said Karunaratne was arrested early this morning on charges of driving under the influence and being involved in an accident.

Police said the vehicle he was driving had collided with a three wheeler in Borella around 5.30 this morning. The driver of the three wheeler who sustained minor injuries has been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment.

Police said it was revealed that Karunaratne was under the influence at the time of the accident.He is scheduled to be produced before court tomorrow while further investigations are being carried out by Borella Police.Beyond the immediate consequences of the accident, particularly with regards to the condition of the injured driver, the arrest may also have professional ramifications for Karunaratne.

Sri Lanka Cricket is likely to await further details, but may impose its own sanctions, depending on the outcome of court proceedings.

Karunaratne not only led Sri Lanka to an outstanding Test series win in South Africa in February, he was also being talked about by the national selectors as Sri Lanka's prospective World Cup captain.

Although the Sri Lanka team has been grappling with disciplinary problems over the last year, Karunaratne himself had avoided serious controversy.