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ICC has not outlawed Murali's doosra: SLC
By Marlon Fernandopulle
Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) has vehemently denied that their star spinner Muttaih Muralitharan has been told by the ICC not to bowl the controversial doosra delivery following the biomechanical tests in Australia.

Reacting to reports that appeared in the newspapers and websites, the SLC President Mohan de Silva said, "ICC has not informed Sri Lanka Cricket or Muralitharan that he cannot bowl the doosra. What the ICC and its Chief Executive Malcolm Speed has stated in a media release on Tuesday has been reported out of context. There is absolutely no truth to the statement that the ICC has outlawed the doosra or that ICC has told Murali not to bowl the doosra".

Speaking further De Silva said, "The ICC media release only outlines the stage two process and its consequences and also goes on to say that the decision on whether or not the bowler should continue to bowl the particular delivery will be the responsibility of Sri Lanka Cricket".

Why the ICC chose to issue a media release on the Muralitharan episode, even before receiving the official report from Sri Lanka Cricket is a worrying factor. It may be due to the media leaking the report and giving confusing views on it. However as it has now transpired the ICC has only added to the confusion of the doosra saga by releasing a statement to the media.

SLC confirmed that the assessment (report) of Muralitharan’s bowling action in accordance with the ICC's standard analysis protocol was sent to the ICC's General Manager-Cricket David Richardson only on Friday. After receiving the bio-mechanical report from ICC human movement specialist Prof. Bruce Eliott last week, Sri Lanka’s bowling review group submitted their own report this week.

It will be now up to the ICC to decide on the fate of Muralitharan’s doosra. According to the ICC regulations a summary of the home board’s assessment will be circulated to the ICC panel of umpires and referees within 14 days of its receipt .

However as reported exclusively in The Sunday Times a fortnight back Muralitharan’s doosra is not within the current regulations stipulated by the ICC. As such, it is certain that the spinner will have to drop the delivery.

What is more alarming and disturbing is that Muralitharan will once again be susceptible to being reported for a suspect action, no sooner the six weeks period after he was initially reported lapses. Already ICC's elite umpire Steve Bucknor and former Australian test player Dean Jones have made unfavourable comments on Muralitharan's action. A second report within 12 months can end up with a one year ban for the bowler. Thus Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) and Muttaih Muralitharan will need to do everything possible to ensure that a second report is not initiated by an ICC official.

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