BRISBANE (Australia), Jan 21: Former Australian Test umpire Lou Rowan has called for controversial Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to be banned, it was reported Tuesday.

Rowan believes fear of being branded racist has stopped international cricket authorities from taking action against the star Sri Lankan player, the Chronicle newspaper in the Queensland town of Toowoomba said.

A veteran of 26 Tests in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s, Rowan told the paper players were reluctant to comment about Muralitharan’s bowling action for fears of being branded racist by the Sri Lankans.

“The name Muralitharan should be expunged from cricket records,” Rowan was reported to have said.

Australia is the only country where Muralitharan has been called for throwing.

Darrell Hair was the first to no-ball Muralitharan in 1995-96 and later that same season he was called by Tony McQuillan and Ross Emerson in a one-dayer against the West Indies in Brisbane.

His second visit to Australia in 1998-99 also turned ugly when Emerson called him at Adelaide.

Muralitharan was taunted by the ‘Gabba Ground crowd in Brisbane last week during a day-night match against Australia.

Rowan told the paper there was ill-feeling between the Sri Lankans and the Australian and England teams over Muralitharan.

“It is not based on racism. There is a deep-seeded, but not publicly expressed, resentment over the bowling action of the Sri Lankan, Muralitharan.”

Rowan said four former Test umpires he spoke to recently agreed Muralitharan’s action “does not conform with the law”.

“The actions of cricket authorities in permitting and encouraging this man to continue in cricket is incomprehensible and a travesty of justice,” he said.—AFP