Chuck ICC’s rules out of the window!

Just about two weeks after the ICC cleared Harbhajan Singh, umpires Darrell Hair and Steve Bucknor have reported the off-spinner once again for a suspect bowling action!

The umpires and match referee Chris Broad thought that Bhajji’s bowling action while bowling the ‘doosra’ in the second innings of the Kolkata Test was suspect.

“The report relates specifically to the bowler’s action when delivering the ‘doosra.’ It was noticeable to the umpires and me that there was an apparent change in action when bowling this delivery between the first innings of the match, when no concerns were raised, and the second, which then prompted the report to be made,” Broad said.

Of course there’ll be a change in the bowling action when an off-spinner bowls a ‘doosra’!! Unlike the leg-spinners’ googly, the off-spinners’ ‘doosra’ cannot be bowled with just a change in wrist action. The elbow has to be used!! So it is natural that there’ll be a change in action!!

Surely umpires, who cannot even see daylight between bat and ball, are not in a position to decide if the arm is bending beyond 15 degrees! Why the hell should they be allowed to call a bowler for suspect action?!! That too when their bosses (read, the ICC) have deemed, with all the gadgetry at their disposal, that the bowler is bowling fair and square!!

Now Bhajji will have to go through the charade once again! … with no assurance that he won’t be suspected once again by geriatrics who are masquerading as ‘respected’ umpires! And all this while obvious chuckers like Brett Lee and James Kirtley never get reported!!

Something has to be done. Either do away with umpires’ rights to call a bowler for chucking or do away with the idiotic rules on chucking. But knowing that ICC is infested with buffoons, I’m sure nothing will be done!!