Colombo, Dec 20: The Sri Lankan government has said it has launched a probe into a bid to bribe members of the national cricket team to under-perform in a recent Test match against the West Indies.

The country's sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera revealed on Saturday that a man linked to a bookmaker had offered wicketkeeper Kusal Perera and bowler Rangana Herath tens of thousands of dollars to trigger a batting collapse at a Test in Galle in October, reports CMC.

The sports minister disclosed that Rs.10 million ($70,000) had been offered to the players to lose the match and that police had mounted a search for the suspect who approached the two players.

"They wanted Sri Lanka to get out early for a very low score. This is a match Sri Lanka was expected to win, but if they lost, the bookie would have made a lot of money," Jayasekera told reporters.

"After Kusal turned down the offer, the man approached Herath who also rejected the offer and alerted the authorities. We have started a police inquiry in addition to an anti-corruption probe by Sri Lanka Cricket."

The West Indies lost by an innings and six runs after veteran left-arm spinner Herath took 10 wickets in the match.

The West Indies, who have never won a Test match in Sri Lanka, lost the series two-nil.

IANS