MELBOURNE, Jan 16: Australia batsman Darren Lehmann has been charged by cricket’s governing body after a remark which he made upset the Sri Lankan cricket team during Wednesday’s triangular one-day series match.

The Sri Lankans lodged a complaint with match referee Clive Lloyd after Lehmann was overheard making an offensive comment about the tourists.

Lehmann made the remark in the Australian dressing room just after he had been dismissed but his remarks were overhead by members of the Sri Lankan team who were in an adjoining room.

Lehmann apologised to the Sri Lankans, both in person and in writing, and the tourists said later they had decided not to proceed with any charges.

But the International Cricket Council (ICC) released a statement on Thursday to announce that Lehmann had been charged with a level three breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Officials.

“As a result of an overnight investigation and on the basis of reports received from Australia, I have decided to charge Darren Lehmann with a breach of Level 3.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct,” ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement.—Reuters