Spinners at the centre of attention

ICC to put chuckers under the spotlight

Wisden Cricinfo staff

December 19, 2003

Muttiah Muralitharan: 'Not cleared for ever and a day' © AFP

It hasn't been mentioned officially during the current series between Sri Lanka and England, but the action of Muttiah Muralitharan, which has been the subject of much off-the-field discussion, is again likely to come under the spotlight. The same applies to James Kirtley, whose action was the subject of some speculation during and after the Kandy Test. Both bowlers have previously been cleared by the International Cricket Council.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Dave Richardson, the former South African wicketkeeper who's now the general manager of the ICC, said that research was planned to clarify the exact definition of what constitutes legal bowling, with specific reference to spinners.

"Muralitharan went before a bowling review group and they decided, on the evidence that was available at that stage, that they couldn't tell whether he was straightening his arm to any degree or not," Richardson explained. "So he was cleared for that purpose, but that's not to say that he's cleared for ever and a day."

Richardson went on: "The bowler is only as good as his last delivery. He could go out the very next day, bowl again and if it is, in the umpire's opinion, suspect, he could be reported again.

"In the course of the next year we're setting up research on spinners. Let's try and find out the facts. Is there a degree of straightening? It's similar to the kind of research we've done with fast bowlers, and then we'll be in a better position to advise umpires.

"Research has been done on the action of fast bowlers, and what that research showed was that with 99%, if not all fast bowlers, there's an element - a degree - of straightening that takes place in the action. That was why we felt a need to introduce 'levels of tolerance', but those levels of tolerance are only coming into play when you start to scientifically analyse a player's action. The umpire just relies on what he sees."

Richardson also said that the pressure on umpires to take action during a game would be eased, and that they would not be expected to call a bowler for throwing during a match unless it was quite blatant. "We're saying, 'If you suspect something is wrong, report it and we'll take it from there'," he explained. "You're playing with bowlers' careers so you have to be correct before you write someone off as a chucker."

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Players/Umpires

James Kirtley

Muttiah Muralitharan

Series/Tournaments

England tour of Sri Lanka