NB: This post was being composed as the DW went down two Fridays ago. Therefore, much like Fox Footy Live and ABC rayjo broadcasts, there may be a small delay between what you see, and what you read. It's also been updated to reflect today's ICC outcome.
The UWA spin doctors, Bruce Elliott and Daryl Foster, need a slick spin doctor themselves.
Bruce Elliott recently said this....
"Because of these leaks, public perception would be that our findings were about accommodating Murali. But that's not the case."
A fine line given this paragraph in the Guardian article below....
Remedial work with Muralitharan at the University of Western Australia reduced his arm-straightening to 10 degrees [Ed: from 14], which is the maximum allowed for non-spinners.
Accommodating = Remedial in my book.
Then there's Daryl Foster's take on the matter which appears to me, at least, both accommodating AND remedial:
Allow 'unique' Murali to bowl doosra: experts
Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan should be allowed to bowl his controversial doosra as he does not gain "unfair advantage" with his bowling action, University of Western Australia experts have recommended in their official report to international cricket chiefs.
"It would be unrealistic to ban Murali's 'doosra' delivery without the benefit of proper research having been undertaken into normal spin bowlers," former Western Australian coach Daryl Foster said in the report, which was obtained by India's Hindu newspaper.
Foster was part of a four-member University team which tested Muralitharan's bowling action earlier this month after the Sri Lankan was reported for his doosra delivery, which spins away from right-handers instead of coming into them.
The University initially sent its report to Sri Lankan cricket bosses, who have since forwarded it to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
"Murali, who has been tested more than any other bowler in the history of the game - 1995, 1999 and now - possesses different physical characteristics which make him a unique bowler," the report added.
Muralitharan is now just seven victims short of breaking retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 Test wickets.
He is set to pass the record in next month's two-Test series in Zimbabwe.
"A straightening of 10 degrees when he (Murali) bowls his 'doosra' is not excessive and that should not therefore be deemed advantagous," Foster said in the report.
The experts said Muralitharan initially straightened his arm by 14 degrees while bowling the 'doosra' during tests.
Spinners are only allowed to straighten their arms by five degrees under existing ICC guidelines.
Medium pacers are allowed seven-and-a-half degrees while pacemen are allowed 10 degrees.
Muralitharan straightened his arm by 10.2 degrees when he was tested for a second time after going through a remediation process.
The report recommended that Muralitharan's level of acceptability should be set at the 10-degree mark because of the speed of his upper arm rotation, which was not believed to give the Sri Lankan an "unfair advantage over batsmen or other bowlers".
"We contend that because the speed of his upper arm rotation is as fast, and in some cases quicker than fast bowlers, his level of acceptability for elbow extension should also be set at the 10-degree mark," it said.
"A case can certainly be made for some spin bowlers such as Muralitharan to have the same range of acceptability in elbow angle to that of fast bowlers.
"With no spin bowling data base to make a comparison, this would seem both a wise and prudent recommendation."
The ICC, however, has already said it will not relax its stipulated tolerance levels.
The report also questioned the ICC's tolerance figures, querying why 10 degrees of extension was acceptable for pacemen and only five for a spinner whose arm speed was similar.
"Without knowing what the situation is with other spin bowlers, it would seem unrealistic to ban Murali's 'doosra' without the benefit of proper research having been undertaken into 'normal' spin bowlers.
"Other off-spin bowlers, in particular Harbhajan Singh (India), Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Malik (both Pakistan), all bowl the 'doosra' delivery which suggests for comparison purposes their 'other one' should also be analysed."
Foster was all praise for Muralitharan, saying the Sri Lankan knew his "body and technique" very well and was able to adjust to the technical changes easily.
Those UWA boys definitely need someone to help them sort out their stories. With their inconsistent utterings, they more than anyone have contributed to the "public perception" of accomodation.
However, the ICC, who have been waiting for a favourable outcome based on due process, get the last word:
ICC confirms Test ban on Muralitharan's doosra
The International Cricket Council emphasised last night that it expects Sri Lanka Cricket to continue to instruct Muttiah Muralitharan not to bowl his controversial "doosra."
Mal Speed, the ICC's chief executive, confirmed cricket's worst-kept secret that the Test wicket record-holder's doosra was measured at 14 degrees of arm-straightening in official tests carried out by the University of Western Australia.
That is well outside the five-degree maximum permitted for spin bowlers under emergency ICC regulations introduced in the wake of technological proof that nearly all international bowlers straighten their arms during delivery.
Speed said: "In the light of the report, Sri Lanka Cricket has now advised the ICC that it has instructed Mr Muralitharan not to bowl this delivery in international cricket. The ICC supports this action."
Remedial work with Muralitharan at the University of Western Australia reduced his arm-straightening to 10 degrees, which is the maximum allowed for non-spinners. Sri Lanka are campaigning for all bowlers to be judged under the 10-degree limit and Speed, for the first time last night, indicated that the ICC might be flexible.
"The levels were introduced after consultation with well-qualified experts and are based on research into the actions of all types of bowlers," he said. "The regulations reflect the current levels of understanding. The ICC is well aware that the existing body of scientific knowledge would benefit from additional research and has previously announced that it will undertake this work.
"It will only be after this research is completed that the ICC will know if there is a sufficiently strong fact-based argument to alter the levels of tolerance currently in place."
If Murali bowls his doosra, or wrong 'un, a further reporting by umpires or match referee could lead to a year's ban.
The Zimbabwe Cricket Union yesterday held the door open for its sacked players by offering them the chance to play against Sri Lanka in the final Test which starts on Friday and to play against Australia, who arrive tomorrow. But the 15 rebels revealed they were planning to sue the governing body for "destroying their livelihoods".
The union's chief executive Vincent Hogg said: "All they have to do is to notify us of their willingness to practise and be available for selection."
Now, all that remains is that Murali is made to refund all wickets taken with the Doosra. Starting with ... well ... you know who.
I'll say it for the 3rd or 4th time now.
The UWA Human Movement Dept. are (mostly) a bunch of ring kissing assclowns. I know. I studied there.
"Remedial"??? I'm shocked. Was this remedial work given before, after, or during testing?
And even IF it was given after, isn't that being a little bit unprofessional? Isn't it greying the areas of impartiality? The guys testing him are also coaching him!
Stinks. Stinks I say.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | 12 May 2004 at 18:56
Agreed Big Rama...Cricket continues to bounce (dare I say spin) from one drama to the next.
We've all said it B4. The gutless wonders (arseclowns more likely) who are the ICC, pander to the wims of the sub-continent...While the game continues to be marginalised.
Ian Meckiff was robbed....
TT good to see your back in space.
Posted by: Snr Nubi | 12 May 2004 at 21:28