Expert reopens debate on Murali's action

Muttiah Muralitharan: once again his action is in the spotlight © Getty Images Enlarge

The man who cleared Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action five years ago has reopened the debate by questioning the legality of Murali's new doosra.

Bruce Elliott, a professor at the University of Western Australia, and a member of the International Cricket Council's committee which investigates suspect actions, said that Murali's new ball, which behaves very much as a legbreak would, is questionable.

"With the doosra, what I'm suggesting is that when a finger-spinner wants to rotate the wrist to come over the top of the ball it seems difficult not to straighten the arm - but I won't say it's impossible," Elliott told the Sydney Morning Herald. "The doosra fits into the category that says 'danger'."

And Elliott warned that any illegal actions have to be stamped out immediately, otherwise they are quickly copied by youngsters. "There's no doubt that children on the subcontinent are trying to emulate Murali. On the subcontinent they learn more by watching. If kids are trying to bowl like Murali then, yes, there's danger. The million-dollar question is whether they are straightening the arm. If you keep it bent or even flex it, it's still illegal.

"If you extend up with the arm you'll get more over-rotation on the ball. For a spinner, that's a huge advantage. That, by definition, is illegal. If you keep your arm bent, you can use the big rotator muscles in the shoulder, which are geared for throwing."

Elliott's comments are sure to arouse anger in Sri Lanka, but they come in the light of recent remarks by ICC officials that spinners will be more under the spotlight whereas in the past it was fast bowlers who attracted attention. The desire to clamp down was reinforced when it emerged that six players in the recent Under-19 World Cup had been reported as having suspicious actions.

"I'm sure the ICC is becoming more concerned," Elliott explained. "And I don't think it's unfair to say that it is in direct response to that concern [young players mimicking established stars]. Because most people don't have his physical characteristics, and they will revert to actually extending the arm."