SYDNEY, March 19: Former Australian umpire Col Egar, the man who famously no-balled Ian Meckiff out of Test cricket, claims Muthiah Muralidaran's ungainly new delivery is "blatantly illegal".

The bowling action of Sri Lankan off-spinner has long sparked heated debate in world cricket, with many experts and players - most privately - agreeing he should not be allowed to continue in the game.

This view has intensified since Muralidaran introduced his new "doosra" delivery - an Urdu word meaning "the other". The delivery spins sharply like a leg break but is sent down with an off-spinning action.

Egar accused Muralidaran, who was no-balled for throwing on consecutive Australian tours in the 1990s, of illegally straightening his right arm when delivering his so called mystery ball.

"That new delivery he has got, that's illegal," Egar said. "I have been talking to players about that in recent times. They say he is illegal. "You can do that by bending (and straightening) your arm on the beach anytime you like."

Muralidaran is not the first off-spinner to turn the ball the opposite way he is supposed to - Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq could do it - but the Pakistani could only turn it a centimetre or two whereas Murali's doosra can turn 25cm or more.

The Australians are still having trouble picking it even though they have seen it extensively in five one-dayers and two Tests on tour in Sri Lanka. Egar, who called more than 10 first class bowlers for chucking, also felt Muralidaran should not be allowed to benefit from being allowed to have 10 degrees of bend in his elbow when delivering the ball.

"I think it's absolutely ludicrous and ridiculous," said Egar, who umpired in 29 Tests in the 1960s. "I can't understand the law makers allowing it. How far do you go with it? In the past you were never allowed to it.

"There have been some great off-spin bowlers in the past. If they were allowed to bend the elbow and then straighten it, by gee, they would have been prolific bowlers, too. I feel very sorry for the bowlers I called in first class cricket."

Egar's displeasure comes after Australian biomechanics expert Bruce Elliott, a professor from University of Western Australia who initially cleared Muralidaran's action in 1998, admitted the new delivery needed closer examination.

Eliott said the doosra delivery fitted "into the category that just says 'danger'." Muralidaran's action was extensively analysed in 1996 but was cleared by International Cricket Council in 1998.

It was discovered he had a flexion deformity that prevents him from straightening his elbow. He also has an unusually flexible wrist. But his action is expected to be questioned during a special ICC review of spin bowling this year. -PPI