Mani defends ICC stance

Ehsan Mani, the president of the ICC, has attacked the claims of bias being levelled against the ICC, after its match referee, Chris Broad, reported Muttiah Muralitharan for a suspected illegal bowling action.

"I am not going to make any comment on the action of any bowler," said Mr Mani, "but what I can say is that the match officials are well within their rights to raise any concerns about any delivery from any bowler. The rules say it, the playing conditions demand it, and every Test-playing country has agreed to it."

The flames of the controversy were fanned by Sri Lanka's former captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, who once led his team from the field in a one-day game against England in 1998-99 after Murali had been called for throwing. He had claimed that Broad's decision was part of an Anglo-Australian conspiracy to deny Murali the chance of beating Shane Warne to Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 Test wickets, but Mani rubbished such talk.

"It is deeply disappointing to read claims from some quarters about bias," he said. "Already we have seen claims that there is a conspiracy led by Australia and England while, on the same day, others have claimed that nothing will happen because it is a conspiracy to protect the player involved.

"Both claims lack any substance. Both claims do nothing to assist the game or the bowler in addressing these concerns and both claims are simply wrong. The truth of the matter is that the ICC has now put a system in place that, more than ever before, allows it to detect and address bowling actions that are potentially illegal."

That system is a two-stage process that ensures that a reported bowler can obtain the necessary expert assistance to address any flaws in his action. Pakistan's Shabbir Ahmed was the most recent beneficiary of the system, and he has since resumed his international career.

"The issue of flawed actions has always been an emotion-laden topic," added Mani. "It is about time that all of us involved in the game adopt a more mature approach to this issue. It is essential that any concerns are addressed in a clear, calm and direct way that protects the interests of the bowlers, the batsmen, but above all the spirit of the game - and that is exactly the approach that the ICC is adopting with this issue."