STUPID IS AS STUPID DOOSRA

Listen up, ICC, let's not beat about the bush. The Doosra is a rank chuck. Even my very good friend, Peter Paddle at Fairfax agrees. So, come on, get your heads out of your ... the sand, and just ban the bugger outright.

The AGB, October 30.

Curator strung up by Gangulys

While I'm on [Harbhajan] Singh; he (like most offies) undoubtedly chucks his doosra. Surely it's time for an outright ban of this frightful delivery. A ball which is an utter blight on the game and eats at the very fabric of correct bowling technique.

Alex Brown in The Age, December 22.

Death of the doosra

Sri Lankan maestro Muttiah Muralitharan fears the days of the doosra are numbered, after Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh was reported for a suspect action by the International Cricket Council.

Like Muralitharan earlier this year, Harbhajan was identified on Monday by ICC match referee Chris Broad for flexing his elbow beyond the "levels of tolerance" when bowling the controversial delivery, which spins away from right-handed batsmen.

Why would they even bother with Murali's opinion? He's hardly going to stick the boots in. And anyway, wasn't there a media-ban on him?

Muralitharan, speaking from Colombo yesterday, believes the constant scrutiny afforded to spinners who attempt the doosra could dissuade young bowlers from experimenting with the delivery.

"Definitely it could," Muralitharan told The Age. "If that happened, it would be a loss for the game. I don't know what the thinking is with umpires and match referees with this. It is obviously a very sensitive issue because you are dealing with bowlers' careers. But I think (the doosra) is good for the game."

When asked whether he felt Harbhajan's doosra was suspect, Muralitharan was prompt to defend his off-spinning rival.

"With the naked eye, I can't see anything wrong with it," he said. "I don't think there is a problem."

So much for the ban. Considering the rubbish he talks, though, you can see why it needs to be enforced. "Loss for the game." "Can't see anything wrong." May as well just add "Chucking is good for cricket." He certainly needs a proper tight gag.

I'll say it again, shall I? Murali. Hayden. Kandy.

And what's this from Brown?

Muralitharan has been analysed by Perth-based biomechanist Bruce Elliott, who measured his elbow flexion at between 11 and 14 degrees when delivering the doosra and believes the ball is impossible to bowl without bending the arm to some extent.

That's not the figure quoted in The Australian on November 13.

This isn't a licence to throw: May

This year, Muralitharan was banned from bowling his doosra after match referee Chris Broad claimed it was delivered with an illegal action. But subsequent testing, which did not conform to the strict protocols outlined in the planned reforms, showed his degree of straightening was on average 14 degrees, which means it would be allowed under the new guidelines.

So which is it? Eleven to fourteen degrees which a disgrace? Or an average of fourteen degrees which is an absolute disgrace?

Does anyone know where to go to find out EXACTLY what's what?

Comments

[SB]

This is a shameful racist attack on subcontinental cricketing innovation and a slander of the world's greatest bowler.

[Brett Pee]

Quite. BUT it has been shown that you cannot actually deliver a doosra without chucking it, physically impossible, even tried it myself in the nets. Chris Broad is on the case again- even starting to admire the bloke now !! Keep it up- Murali will anyway. Racist ? Us ? Never.

[SM]

And when its 3006 & sober, we shall discuss the scandal of seamers chucking at decent, god-fearing batsman ! Especially that Makgrath blkoe ... F**ing whisky.
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad etc.

[SM]

Boy, this is embarrasing ... I apologise for the previous post. Whisky's worn off now, all cleaned up and sober. No more posting when UI.

Uh, now, must rest up for next partee

[Tony.T]

I used to Blog UI, but made even less sense than usual.