BCCI opposes discharge plea, stops Sreesanth from playing

New Delhi, May 15: Plea by former cricketer S. Sreesanth seeking relaxation of the life time ban on him by the country's apex cricketing body so that he could play in county cricket in England was opposed by BCCI.

Opposing the plea with a "heavy heart", senior counsel Parag Tripathi told the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the apex cricketing body has appealed against the order discharging Sreesanth in the spot fixing case during IPL 2013.

Tripathi told the court that an inquiry had found him in touch with the bookies through an intermediary. Tripathi told the court that it was not just a question of law but also that of the BCCI code.

Describing Sreesanth as an "outstanding cricketer", senior counsel Salman Khurshid urged the court to allow him to play cricket in England for the remaining three month season of the game.

The court asked the High Court to dispose off the appeal challenging his discharge, pending before it within three months by July end. The court said that it understood the "anxiety" of the cricketer to play the game.