MURALITHARAN_CHUCKS_BANNISTER_24DEC94

Time to call Muttiah`s `curve ball` by Jack Bannister

How on earth has Muttiah Muralitharan gone through Sri Lanka`s current tour of South Africa without being no-balled for throwing?

It gives me no pleasure to pin the offspinner as possessing the most suspect bowling action I have seen in 20 years.

But your umpires` refusal to enforce relevant clauses of Law 24 means they are guilty of allowing illegal bowling to flourish.

That is why I have talked to batsmen and officials from oth- er countries rather than go into print purely on the evidence of my own eyes.

Let me quote Law 24 (2). "For a delivery to be fair, the ball must be bowled, not thrown. If either umpire is not entirely satisfied with the absolute fairness of a delivery in this respect, he shall call and signal no-ball instantly upon delivery."

In other words, he does not have to be "entirely satisfied" that a delivery is unfair - only that he is not satisfied it is fair. It`s a small but crucial difference.

Law 24 (11) Note A is even more explicit. " A ball shall be deemed to have been thrown if, in the opinion of either umpire, the process of straightening the bowling arm, whether it be partial or complete, takes place during that part of the delivery which directly precedes the ball leaving the hand. This definition shall not debar a bowler from using the wrist in the delivery swing."

The laws are clear, yet I have recently spoken to two umpires with considerable experience of standing in English county cricket and they are astonished that Muralitharan has not been called in his own country, nor anywhere else, including South Africa.

They share my view that it is not the fault of the player. Those to blame are his coaches from school onwards who have allowed his bent-arm method to develop unchecked until, now, each game in which he plays provokes further comment.

Why do you think the Sri Lanka game against New Zealand in East London was so controversial? Rutherford`s action in mimicking Muralitharan when he returned the ball to him was only one in a series of comments upon his action.

Mutterings such as "Here we go, baseball again" or "Double top for game" were not uncommon.

Readers may wonder what all the fuss is about a slow bowler who does not pose a physical threat, but a bent-arm finger spinner gets an enormous advantage in purchase. He can turn the ball on most surfaces, as proved to me by England`s most celebrated post-war thrower, Tony Lock.

He freely admits that over half of his figures of 2884 first-class wickets - only Derek Shackleton has taken more since 1946 - were illegally obtained with a vicious left arm spin delivered at a pace roughly equivalent to that of Hansie Cronje. After Lock was called, he re-modelled his action and was still good enough to play 18 of his 49 Tests, although he was never the same matchwinner.

He once bowled Essex captain Doug Insole with a thunderbolt which spreadeagled the stumps. After a few seconds, Insole was still at the crease, so the umpire said, "Come on Doug, you`re out!"

"I know that. But how? Bowled or run out?"

I played for Warwickshire at The Oval in 1959 when our openers Norman Horner and Khalid Ibadulla shared the then record unbroken first wicket partnership of 377. At 250 for 0, the "new" Lock suddenly reverted twice and two fizzers pitched middle and beat offstump. He winked at Horner and the startled square leg umpire. "Don`t worry. I only wanted to see if I can still do it!"

He then bowled straight arm and never turned another ball.

I feel sorry for Muralitharan. Fingers are pointed at him within the game - except by the men whose fingers matter most, the umpires.

It is not his fault but, if his own coaches and advisers will not help him, the umpires must. They must do their duty according to Law 24 (2) and Law 24 (11) Note A.

Surely there is one umpire who is prepared to do his job to help the bowler concerned to put things right. Our unknown hero - and it will take a lot of guts - will also do the game of cricket a considerable service.

Source :: The Star Newspaper, 24 Dec 1994