Ponting and Fleming want proposed new law clarified

Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming have both requested the International Cricket Council to explain the 15-degree rule for bowlers, saying that the players themselves are in the dark about the procedures and methods employed to decide whether a delivery is legal or not.

Tim May, chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association, was on the nine-member panel that recommended the change in the laws, and he talked to both Ponting and Fleming regarding the proposed amendment.

Ponting was quoted in The Sydney Morning Herald as saying: "It was good to hear it come from Tim yesterday and his views on it all. But we still need to know a bit more about it, we need to see it in action and see it in place."

According to tests done by biomechanics experts, 99% of bowlers extended their arms to some extent, and even those with actions considered to be in the classical mould were found to straighten their arm more than 10 degrees.

"It shouldn't be secretive," said Fleming, expressing his views about the study. "What we have to be careful of is the knee-jerk reactions when a statement comes out, and we get this emotive type of reporting that starts throwing players' names up without basis."

Fleming told the paper that he would welcome more information on the subject, with the current picture being pretty vague. "The one thing we are happy about is there is some movement," he added. "For too long [chucking] was the ugly sister that wasn't being talked about but now it's out in the open and there's some positive steps being put in place."