Sri Lankan star spinner in new chucking row (15 January 1999)

15 January 1999

Sri Lankan star spinner in new chucking row

AFP

SYDNEY, Jan 15 (AFP) - Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is to be reported to the International Cricket Council for his suspect bowling action, South African match referee Peter Van Der Merwe said Friday.

"It's just that some of the balls that he bowls look a bit doubtful," he told ABC Radio.

"Part of my job is to look out for bowlers with doubtful actions. I will be sending a report to the ICC and they can handle it how they see fit," he told the Sydney Daily Telegraph

At least two Australian umpires have expressed doubts about the Sri Lankan's action after the three opening matches of the one-day series between Australia, England and Sri Lanka.

Their reports will reach the Australian Cricket Board in a few days.

"Obviously when you sit in a dressing room you do discuss various aspects of play," Van Der Merwe told ABC Radio.

"This has come up in a normal way again, there's been no sort of specific comment on their part that something has got to be done.

"If you look at the relevant law you will see that (his action's) not as smooth as it may well be with most other bowlers," he said.

"It is not for me to decide whether he is a chucker," Van Der Merwe added.

"The ICC has a sub-committee that makes a decision and may recommend remedial coaching. It is a very distasteful thing to brand someone a chucker. But it is much better to try to rescue them than make a scapegoat of them."

When international cricket returns to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Australia-England match on Friday, Van Der Merwe hopes to speak to ICC chief David Richards.

It will be the sixth time in as many years the ICC has received reports over Muralitharan's action.

Australian umpire Darrell Hair no balled Muralitharan seven times in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in 1995 and the spinner was called again in the one day series later that summer by umpires Ross Emerson and Tony McQuilan.

Hair stood down from officiating in matches involving Sri Lanka this summer after being criticised for describing the spinner's action as "diabolical" in a book released late last year.

The ICC, under pressure from the Sri Lankan Cricket Board, asked the Australian Cricket Board on Monday to set up an inquiry to press charges against Hair for bringing the game into disrepute for his comments.

He could be banned for three Tests or even excluded from this year's World Cup in England.

Source :: AFP