By Charles Haviland BBC News, R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

	SLC says it considers legal action against the state-run ITN channel

The channel, ITN, implied that Mahela Jayawardena and Thilan Samaraweera under-performed against Pakistan for financial gain.

The channel now says it hopes they were not hurt but it has not apologised.

The national cricket board, Sri Lanka Cricket, is an official body whose committee was appointed by the government.

But it has been stung by a commentary on government television which suggested that two much-loved cricketers cheated to help an unnamed businessman win a bet.

Condemned

The board's media manager, Brian Thomas, told reporters here that Mahela Jayawardena and Thilan Samaraweera were men of honour and dignity.

	Jayawardene only managed to score two runs against Pakistan

"We have so much faith in our players, we know their integrity, and that is why we have put out such a firm statement to the public and of course to the international media as well," he said.

"We will be taking it up because we just don’t want to be humiliated for what we don’t deserve to be."

He said that legal measures might have to be taken, something Mahela Jayawardena is also considering.

The cricket board said it condemned the bona fides of the broadcaster – who is the editor of a government newspaper – saying that his “baseless” story had caused great distress to the two players.

The television station, in a response, said it was deeply concerned if the programme had hurt the two players and it had not wished to embarrass them.

However it issued no retraction or apology.

This has been the first allegation of cheating to be levelled during this World Cup, but the national cricket board says there’s no question of launching an inquiry into the two players as it has full faith in them.