JO BO HO...

HUM:

Botha and Theron reported for suspect actions

Warriors bowlers Johan Botha and Rusty Theron are to undergo tests in Cape Town next week after their actions were reported by the match officials during last weekend's SuperSport Series match against Dolphins at St George's.

Einstein:

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Comments

[Bruce]

Is AGB the only canary in the chucking coal mine?

[Tony]

JT at the West is always prepared to call a c a c:

Shane Warne is the greatest bowler I have seen in a lifetime of watching, playing and now reporting on cricket. Despite the claims of Lillee and McGrath, Marshall and Ambrose, Akram, Hadlee and the chucker Muralitharan, no one surpasses Warne as the most gifted analyst and exponent of his craft.

Not sure that he does too many overseas tours, so it's not going to come back to bite him.

It would be difficult for him and, say, Tim Lane to go to Sri Lanka to cover the cricket because they probably wouldn't let them in the country. Both are outspoken critics.

Most of the rest of the chuck critics couch their opinions in careful language. Even Patrick Smith, who has often been scathing to the point of contempt, is now saying things like "He used to chuck, but they changed the rules, now he is a champ." That seems to be the general line.

Bangalore Sunsets Coward probably thinks Murali is a chucker, buts hates Daryl Hair for "setting Murali up".

Spanky Roebuck originally had a baby in the commentary box, but now says things like "He chucks, but so what? He's only a spinner, so he's not going to hurt anyone."

No point looking to the electronic commentators for a valid opinion. They won't dare go on the record for fear of losing their valuable sub-continental contracts. I reckon Heals is about the only commentator who has a lash; his "flight flicker" is code for "that's just a rank chuck"

One of the more corrosive aspects of chucking is the media's complaisance. It is impossible to believe long time cricket watchers and experts like Chappelli, Richie and co don't think the chuckers are a blight (in Richie's case, his brother is highly critical). Those in the commentary boxes who want to call a chucker a chucker should be free to do so, but the curse of the Official Broadcaster has them cowed into silence.

Who doesn't wonder how many meetings have gone on between CA and Nine regarding how the commentators should deal with the issue.

Any commentary is compromised if the callers aren't free to say what they think.

[David Barry]

One of my favourite commentary moments was in the Zimbabwe-India series of 2001. Andy Flower was injured and joined the commentary team. Interesting technical insights etc., and he'd made heaps of runs against the Indian bowlers recently, so he knew them inside-out. Then he said of Harbhajan (I'm paraphrasing) "I think his action needs looking at sometimes."

There followed dead silence for the rest of the over, and the topic wasn't raised again.

[Tony]

You know something, Dave, I thought exactly the same thing on Sunday evening.

Dead silence followed, too.

Mainly because I only thought it.

And I was watching by myself.

A valid comparison, never the less.

[murph]

Botha's action is no different to Murali's. I guess the reason that Botha gets called is that he's white.

[Hewy]

An insider told me that when Botha was officially tested at UWA a few months back his arm movement was 28 degrees!!!!
He got cleared as long as he promised not to bowl the doosra. Or the quicker one. Or the shorter one. Or the slower one.
Gee that worked well.

[Tony]

The UWA bowling workshop should be called The Clearing House.

[Hewy]

Nice, Dave.

Let me give you another 'alleged' story from 'The Clearing House' - when Harbajan Singh had his doosra tested it was found to be within legal limits. Problem was these doosras were 3 metre or more high full tosses at the batsmen's end. Technically, his doosra was cleared. Naturally, his in game doosra hits a perfect length.

It's not all UWAs fault. They have the technology to do in-game testing at a very reasonable cost. ICC said thanks but no thanks.

[Tony]

Love yer work, Hewy.

Any time you get the urge, just pop in here and feel free to dish the dirt on the Gang That Couldn't Assess Straight.