Suspect actions allowed 'for way too long' - Ponting

Ricky Ponting has joined the list of former players supporting the recent crackdown on chucking, declaring that suspect actions had been allowed to go on "for way too long". He said eliminating illegal actions from the game would have been "the first thing that would come to mind" for many players of the past 15 years if asked how to improve the game.

Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya and Bangladesh's Sohag Gazi on Wednesday became the latest spinners to be banned from bowling in international cricket as part of the ICC's ongoing purge. They have joined Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake and New Zealand part-timer Kane Williamson in being suspended from bowling in recent months.

A number of bowlers, including West Indies offspinner Sunil Narine and Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez, were also reported for suspect actions during the recent Champions League T20 tournament. Ponting said he was a supporter of the ICC crackdown and said many former players thought something should have been done about it.

"I'm absolutely for it," Ponting told Cricket Australia's website. "I believe a lot of that's gone on for way too long. You ask all the players who have played in the last 15 years, and probably the first thing that would come to mind that they would like to change in the game would be eradicating some of the actions that have been more than just unusual if you like, or suspect.

"There's been some [actions] - as we've seen with some of the degrees that have been reported over the last couple of weeks - [that have] been quite extreme, and I'm a big supporter of trying to eradicate those sorts of actions out of the game."

Ajmal was suspended from bowling after ICC testing found that he flexed his elbow more than twice the legal limit. A number of current and former players have supported the ICC crackdown, although some such as Viv Richards have questioned the timing, with a World Cup less than six months away.