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Sports

Another chucking controversy
Cricket is a very complex sport. Its technicalities are so vast and scientific, that disputes seem to take an eternity to resolve. Sometimes even when they seem to be the ideal solutions loopholes are found. The game is a way of life and in life we never stop learning.

The latest "bombshell" again involves illegal bowling action. Now it has opened a can of worms. A number of honoured and famous bowlers, mainly fast bowlers are being accused of having bowled illegal deliveries during their distinguished careers.

It has left a stigma on the sport. Just as the match fixing scandal did some years ago. That was scandalous. This may not be so because bowlers who chucked rather than bowled have existed since over arm bowling came into existence.

Obviously, slow motion and super-slow motion replays analyse a bowler frame by frame. This leaves little room for error. What was only evident to the human eye has now grown into different proportions. The scrutiny projects every minute detail.

The committee of past greats headed by the former Indian batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar, have had a tough task since they accepted the job to weed out the illegal from legal bowlers. At every turn they have discovered something new, something different and have had to take tough decisions.

Most of the governing bodies who have had bowlers reported by umpires and match referees have been defending their players. Remedial action has been taken in most cases but no one has been discarded. Quite rightly so too. They have come back with corrective action taken.

Still no permanent solution has been found. The option was then to depend further on technology. Bio-mechanics from cricket playing nations, particularly from Australia have been drafted to shed light on the issue. The unfortunate thing is that fingers are being pointed saying the yardstick to measure has not been the same.

In the center of the controversy is Muttiah Muralitharan. The spotlight is right back on him again. Since his controversially being "no-balled" in Australia he has been the subject of many a debate. The latest development of Gavaskar's committee in recommending that all bowlers be permitted to straighten a bent elbow up to fifteen degrees has certainly stirred a hornets' nest.

The man in the centre of the controversy has let off steam and gone on a finger pointing spree. His frustration is understandable up to some point. He has strived always to prove his bowling innocence. To him it is his double-jointed wrist and the formation of the arm that has led to all the torment.

There will probably be no drawing the line where Muralitharan is concerned. He will have to live with the fame, the records and the media assassination that will follow him all the days of his life. The question is will the recommendation of the sub committee be accepted by all next February!

How then does it flow to lower levels of cricket, where still the umpires naked eye has to differentiate the legal from the illegal. Players, coaches and umpires will be up in arms when a bowler is warned or called. What is acceptable at international level, must be accepted at school level.

Those whose actions are under surveillance will believe that this is justice and it may well be, had many of the greats done it in their day. But then, what of the future?

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