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WORLD cricket laid itself open to ridicule yesterday when Arjuna Ranatunga, the controversial Sri Lankan captain, received a suspended sentence and a fine of just £60 for his behaviour in Saturday's explosive one-day international against England in Adelaide.

Ranatunga emerged from a five-hour International Cricket Council hearing at the WACA ground with his place in the Sri Lankan side for today's match against England intact even though he had clashed furiously with Ross Emerson in Adelaide following the umpire's decision to call Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing.

A lengthy hearing yesterday, attended by two lawyers representing the ICC and two Australian-based lawyers for Sri Lanka, ended with Peter van der Merwe, the South African match referee, clearly upset that Ranatunga had escaped virtually unscathed despite engaging in the worst player-versus-umpire confrontation since Mike Gatting clashed with Shakoor Rana in 1987.

Van der Merwe said: ``The unfortunate happening has cost Ranatunga, and I told him this, a great deal in the popularity stakes. And respect is something that both he and I will lose by this decision.''

Ranatunga, who was charged with five breaches of the ICC code of conduct, received a suspended six-match ban, the maximum suspension allowed by the regulations, and a fine of 75 per cent of his match fee. Sri Lankan players are believed to be paid 7,000 Sri Lankan rupees (about £80) per match. If Ranatunga violates clause one of the code of conduct, that which dictates that the captain of each side should be responsible for his team's behaviour at all times, within the next 12 months, he has been promised that the ICC will come down heavily on him. Ranatunga, however, is expected to retire after this year's World Cup.

``I'm very disappointed that the disciplinary panel were compromised by a number of legal representatives,'' said Van der Merwe, an accountant by profession who adjourned the original hearing on Tuesday when threatened by Sri Lankan legal action. ``In future the ICC will take the lead to ensure that lawyers will not be present at hearings. I warned Ranatunga that his every action in the next 12 months will be closely monitored and scrutinised.''

England, for whom Alec Stewart and Graeme Hick gave evidence at the hearing yesterday, appeared to be seething as they returned to their Perth hotel late last night, with team manager David Graveney refusing to comment on the verdict.

Earlier there were almost surreal scenes at the WACA when the principal witnesses in the hearing all appeared on the same balcony at the same time, Stewart, who vehemently criticised Ranatunga on Saturday, laughing and joking with the Sri Lankan captain while Emerson, the umpire who is on sick leave from work for a stress-related condition, stood no more than 10 yards away.

The ruling raises serious questions as to whether the ICC can possibly be taken seriously as a governing body for the game if they cave in at the first threat of legal action. There were concerns that the Sri Lankans would quit this triangular series if their hugely influential captain had received a suspension which could have had implications for their defence of the World Cup in England in May and June. As it is, Ranatunga is free to exert his influence over proceedings as he did on Saturday in Adelaide when he told Emerson, in no uncertain terms, that ``I'm in charge'' on the field. Cricket was left in no doubt about that last night.

England will have to put their frustrations at the verdict behind them when they take to the WACA today for a match which has become crucial to their hopes of reaching the final of the series after two defeats in their last two games.

Ben Hollioake was expected to make his first international appearance of the tour at the expense of Mark Ealham with his older brother, Adam, resuming after a knee injury in place of John Crawley.