Sport - Cricket

Perera formally reported for suspect action

By Ted Corbett

LONDON May 21. Ruchira Perera, the Sri Lankan quick bowler, has been reported for a suspect bowling action, the only possible outcome of the furore that began on the third day of the first Test against England at Lord's and continued throughout the week-end.

ICC match referee India's Gundappa Viswanath has confirmed that Perera has been formally reported by umpires Srinivas Venkataraghavan of India and the Australian Daryl Harper for a suspect bowling action.

The report was made by both umpires to the referee after play ended on Monday night. Two separate video compilations of Perera bowling during the match were studied by the umpires before they announced their decision. Referee Viswanath has since informed both the ICC and the Sri Lanka team management of the decision, as laid down in the ICC regulations governing the reporting process.

"The reporting of any bowler at the highest level of the game is a serious matter which has to be handled with fairness and consideration to the player, his team and the opposing team. Both umpires took the opportunity to satisfy themselves fully that there was a concern with Perera's bowling action. Their detailed report has been passed to the ICC and the Sri Lankan team management,'' Mr. Viswanath said.

The days when a bowler might be banned, or his controversial action ignored are gone and ICC has gone to considerable trouble to draw up a system which allows the bowler every chance to alter his action.

Both the Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar and the English one-day international quick James Kirtley have benefited from this new method and continue to play. Akhtar's new action has been changed so successfully that it was claimed recently that he had broken the 100 miles an hour barrier.

In the name of fairness there is now a clear three-stage process endorsed by all Test-playing countries for bowlers reported by umpires or referees in international cricket.

Referred to Stage One

Perera has now been referred to Stage One of the process, which means that he can continue to play international cricket while working with a specialist advisor or advisors appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka to review his bowling action.

The Sri Lanka management was upset by the intrusive nature of the reporting of Perera's action in England over the last three days but now the questions over his bowling are out in the open and there is a chance for his career to continue as alterations are made away from the media spotlight. A detailed review will be submitted to the ICC within six weeks.

``This will then be circulated to all ICC match referees and elite panel umpires for information and reference,'' said an ICC spokesman. If the player is reported again within 12 months of the first report ICC, in consultation with the relevant Board, will appoint one of its own advisors to work directly with the player.

A further detailed assessment will then be submitted by the ICC advisor within three months.

The report will be circulated as in Stage One and the bowler can continue to play A third report in 12 months will activate the ICC Bowling Review Group, which will meet the bowler and his representatives to discuss the previous two assessment reports, video footage and any further evidence supplied by the player or his Board.

At the end of the hearing the player will leave and a vote taken to determine if he has an illegal action. If a majority is passed to this effect the bowler will be banned from bowling in international cricket for 12 months from the date of the hearing.

Sri Lanka's team manager Chandra Schaffter said: "There is a procedure for dealing with a report by the umpires on a player with a suspect action.

We will follow the procedure scrupulously and will co-operate with the ICC fully. ICC rules permit a bowler who has been reported at Stage One of the process to continue playing and we will consider Ruchira Perera for selection for the next Test Match."

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