'Chucking not a major problem in international cricket': Mani

The issue of bowlers with suspect actions has increasingly come under the scanner, but Ehsan Mani, president of the ICC, believes that it isn't as serious a problem as it is made out to be. In an exclusive with Wisden CricInfo, Mani defended the current two-stage approach to deal with bowlers who have a kink in their action. "There are a lot of important issues in cricket. I don't think at the highest level it [chucking] is a problem which is out of control or anything like that. Far from it. We have a very good system of monitoring players, picking up bowlers who have suspect actions, and then dealing with them."

Under the current system, a bowler reported for the first time works with the home board for six weeks, while a second trangression involves referring him to the ICC's panel of experts. The ICC's Cricket Committee - Playing (CC-P) had recommended that the first stage be done away with, so that the ICC panel is brought in straightaway, but Mani disclosed that the complexities of the issue made it imperative that the two-stage approach be continued with.

Mani and Brendan McClements, the ICC's general manager for corporate affairs, revealed that a team of biomechanical experts had studied the issue in detail. "The report they gave to CC-M just established how complex it is to establish with certainty what's happening with a bowler's action," said McClements. "What you see with your eyes or what you see with the cameras might well not be what is actually happening when you analyse it closely."

Defending the two-stage approach, Mani argued that it did not make the entire process too lengthy. "The delay is only for six weeks, which is a relatively short period of time, especially when the future of a young bowler might be at stake. We felt that at the moment this is a fair way of dealing with the problem."

Mani also explained that with the lack of accuracy of television cameras in detecting an illegal actions, it would be unfair to suspend a player who has been reported. Under the current system, the bowler continues to play international matches even after being pulled up by the umpires, and during the six-week period when he is undergoing remedial work on his action.

"Sometimes, it appears that a bowler is bending or straightening his arm, but when you analyse it under controlled conditions, you find that it is not necessarily the case. What the CC-M has done is ask the experts to look at the mechanics involved for both fast bowlers and spinners, and send a detailed report to Cricket Committee - Playing, who will then look at the issue in greater detail. At this moment, the CC-M felt that there wasn't enough information available with us to change the current system."

Refuting claims that the system was not severe enough, Mani clarified that the ICC expert panel had the authority to suspend errant bowlers "till such time as his action satisfies the ICC panel."

Mani also urged the national boards to ensure that corrective action be taken early in a bowler's career. "What is important is to pick up the players at a young age - at the under-13, under-15 and under 19 levels, academy teams. It's more important that we help rectify their actions at an early age, and if not then get them out of the game, for any bowler with an illegal action has no future in the game."