Cricket: Updated bowling rules almost beg to be exploited

Daniel Vettori's action has never been questioned but Muttiah Muralitharan has often been in trouble. File picture

Daniel Vettori reckons it's only a matter of time until a New Zealand spinner starts exploiting the International Cricket Council's revised throwing law.

Now in Melbourne preparing for the Super Series one-dayers against Australia, Vettori said he firmly believed young spinners should start exploring the more relaxed ruling, which allows bowlers to bend their arms to 15 degrees at the point of delivery without fear of being no-balled.

The updated law was adopted this year in an attempt to diffuse the row over illegal actions, and particularly the controversy surrounding Vettori's Rest of the World team-mate, Muttiah Muralitharan.

It effectively re-modelled the old law so that it could withstand court scrutiny in the advent of a legal challenge, but at the same time drew a line in the sand so generously that it almost begged to be exploited.

Vettori says he supports the stance of the New Zealand Cricket Academy, which encourages young spin bowlers with unusual actions to explore their capabilities, rather than conform to past principles.

"I can't see why a young guy coming through the academy who's showing that sort of ability shouldn't be encouraged to use it for every advantage he can.

"I can't see it becoming a mass development within New Zealand because it's rare enough to find someone who's spinning it with their wrist, let along someone who can also handle a doosra.

"But I think it will happen; it's only a matter of time."

It wasn't so long ago that accredited coaches were trying to iron out any kinks in a bowler's action, and bowlers such as Vettori and England's Ashley Giles were taking pride in a perpendicular arm at the point of delivery.

But the increasing numbers of finger-spinners employing a wrong-'un or 'doosra' (something that Vettori maintains is impossible to 'bowl') has forced the ICC's hand and has effectively led to the action being decriminalised.

"There's been a bit of a stigma about it because it's never been the done thing, but there's bowlers popping up all over the world doing it now, and the 15-degree law will only encourage more to try.

"I just think that if it's within the laws and guidelines set down, then you're almost obliged to tap into it, if only to keep pace with the rest of the world," said Vettori.
He said he could have been bitter about the decision to cater for those with more dubious actions than his, particularly after keeping within the spirit of the throwing law throughout his career, and working within its limitations.

But he said there was at least some closure with the ICC's revised definition.

"The initial frustration with the system was the randomness of the whole thing, and how some players seemed to be able to continue bowling and others were pulled up."

In any case, he said talking about the 'doosra' was one thing; actually executing the delivery and landing it with any degree of accuracy was something completely different, and probably the most difficult variation known at the bowling crease.

"I've practiced it and can get it out occasionally but I find it comes back and influences everything else I do; it sort of has a domino effect on my action and rhythm and becomes counter-productive.

"So, having gone through the entire phase of working at it and practicing until I can bowl it, I've decided to shelve it and concentrate on what I know I can do well."

Academy coach Dayle Hadlee said yesterday that NZC had performed something of an about-face on the question of borderline actions, in light of the 15-degree buffer now allowed.

Hadlee said instead of trying to correct 'unconventional' actions, the academy was instead urging youngsters to explore their capabilities. "We'd see nothing wrong with one of our bowlers employing a doosra, as long as his action was within the legal framework. In fact, we'd encourage it."

Best-known practitioners

Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan)

Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)

Harbhajan Singh (India)

Shoaib Malik (Pakistan)