ICC panel dwells on menace of suspect actions

In a two-day meeting in Bangalore, the committee, headed by former India captain Anil Kumble, felt more needs to be done to check illegal bowling actions.
   
"The committee discussed the issue of illegal bowling actions, and believed that there are a number of bowlers currently employing suspect actions in international cricket, and that the ICC's reporting and testing procedures are not adequately scrutinising these bowlers," the ICC said in a statement.
   
"It recommended that changes be considered to encourage umpires and referees to identify suspect bowlers with greater confidence, to use the expertise of the biomechanists working in this area to assume a greater role during the assessment process, and to allow for ongoing scrutiny of bowlers once they have been identified under the ICC procedures," it added.
   
The ICC Cricket Committee makes recommendations on cricket playing issues to the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) and, if it is a policy matter, the ICC Board for approval.
   
Both the CEC and the ICC Board are scheduled to meet during the ICC annual conference week in Melbourne from June 22-28.
   
The ICC Cricket Committee comprises representatives of many stakeholder groups involved in the modern game, including players, umpires and the media.
       
"Members of the committee were also updated on the project to increase the number of illegal action testing centres around the cricketing world, noting that Cardiff Metropolitan University was now accredited to conduct illegal action testing for the ICC, and that other facilities in India, Australia, England and South Africa were likely to be accredited over coming months," the ICC said.
   
The issue of illegal bowling actions came to the fore recently when Sri Lankan off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake was reported for using an illegal action during the series against
England.
   
Bowlers with suspect actions are currently required to attend ICC-approved biomechanics laboratory tests to assess the amount of elbow extension (flex). In 2004, the ICC set a 15-degree limit on this extension.
    
"They (the committee) also received an update on the project to measure illegal actions in a match environment using wearable sensor technology," the ICC stated.
   
"The second stage of the project has just concluded, with 70 players being tested by wearing the sensors at training sessions during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2014 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The results of the trials were very encouraging, with the final stage of the project expected to conclude in 2016," it added.

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ICC-appointed adjudicator clears Haroon Lorgat of BCCI-related charge

David Becker, who was the ICC legal adviser throughout Lorgat's tenure as CEO of the world body, had last year issued a statement suggesting that the BCCI's flouting of the FTP could have legal implications and that it was "improper" to allow a member body to "blatantly disregard an ICC resolution".
    
In his October 2013 statement, Becker, also a former legal adviser of Cricket South Africa, had said that he had resigned from his ICC post because of what he considered "questionable governance" at the ICC and listed three examples, all relating to the "dominance of BCCI President N Srinivasan".
    
Lorgat was accused by the BCCI of having the knowledge of Becker's statement and, in fact, of its preparation, prompting the ICC to commission an inquiry into his role in that statement.
    
The controversy had also threatened to derail India's tour of South Africa December last. BCCI had agreed to a shortened tour only after the CSA agreed to bar Lorgat from dealing with matters related to India and from attending ICC Executive Meetings as CSA representative.
    
The adjudicator, in a joint statement issued by the ICC and CSA, said that there was "no evidence to support the allegations made against Lorgat".
    
As a result, any restrictions on Lorgat's ability to act as CSA chief executive were removed. He can now resume acting as CSA's representative on the ICC Chief Executive's Committee and deal with affairs involving the BCCI.
    
"An independent Adjudicator, appointed by the ICC to look into the content and distribution of media comments made about ICC Board by David Becker, who at that time was acting as a legal consultant to CSA in respect of their ongoing dispute over FTP Schedule, and the subsequent attempts to have them withdrawn, and, in particular, role of Haroon Lorgat, CEO of CSA, in these matters has found no evidence to support the allegations made against Lorgat," the statement said.

(Agencies)

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