CAIRNS (Australia), July 29: Bangladesh spinner Sanwar Hossain was on Tuesday cleared to play against Australia in the three-match one-day cricket series despite being on report for a suspect bowling action.
But the 19-year-old runs the risk of being no-balled for chucking.
He was reported by Test umpires David Shepherd, Rudi Koertzen and Steve Davis (third umpire) after they reviewed tape of his bowling action taken on the second day of the second Test against Australia here.
The issue is now under the International Cricket Council’s jurisdiction and over the next six weeks Hossain and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will have the opportunity to work on any areas of concern.
“Hossain will be able to continue to play during this time,” the ICC said in a statement on Tuesday.
“(But) the bowler remains subject to being called on the field by an umpire in accordance with the laws of the game”.
With Shepherd to officiate in all three one-dayers between Bangladesh and Australia and Davies to stand in the second one-dayer, Hossain will be under scrutiny.
The on-field umpires can no-ball him for chucking and repeated offences could see him taken out of the attack.
Hossain’s questionable delivery is a back-hander similar to one used by Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.
Muralitharan, called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair in the 1995 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, has been cleared on a number of occasions because of his flexible elbow.
But Hossain’s copycat delivery looks as if it involves a straightening of the arm as he flicks the ball towards the batsmen.
He dismissed Australian opener Matthew Hayden with that ball in Cairns.
Hossain is listed at stage one of the ICC’s process for dealing with suspect actions, which allows him to continue to play while working with advisers to be appointed by his home board and a human movement specialist from an ICC panel.
This stage will last up to six weeks.
At that point a detailed report will be submitted to the ICC.
If Hossain’s action is not remedied in the next six weeks and he is reported again, he could risk a formal hearing and could be banned for 12 months under the ICC guidelines.
The first of three one-day matches is scheduled for Cairns on Saturday.—AFP