Shouting from the Hop

News has broken today that two of the Pakistan bowlers in the winning team from the first test have had their bowling actions reported to the ICC by the umpires and match referee.

In both cases, this is the second time these players - Shabbir Ahmed (top) and Shoaib Malik (left) - have been reported for suspect actions. The full story is here.

This does not affect the result in any way unfortunately, nor does it call into question the players availability for the next two tests and five ODI's of this England tour. What it does mean is that the players are more likely to be called for throwing by the umpires during the next matches, if they repeat their suspect bowling.

Having watched about half of this test, and others involving bowlers with suspect or corrected actions, I think that the bowlers get away with throwing quite a lot. My own experience at live games has witnessed very dodgy bowling - Mutiah Muralitharan very definetley "chucked" his quicker ball when bowling at the SSC, Columbo, in 1993. Brett Lee was another who appeared to "throw" his effort ball during the Ashes series down under in 2002/3, and Shoib Akhtar has nearly always straightened his arm (due to a distended elbow according to the player) during his time in the Pakistan team over the last few years.

My overall impression of the rule regarding straightening of the arm is that it is not allowed. In club cricket it certainly wouldn't be! However, the ICC has ruled that players can straighten their arms by up to 15 degrees. They agreed to this ruling partly due to the fact that Akhtar (through a loose joint) and Muralitharan (through birth defect) have arms that are or can be bent backwards at the elbow. Both of these players have subsequently been called for throwing by umpires in test matches - Muralitharan famously several times by Umpire Darryl Hair in Australia which caused a minor diplomatic incident. Bowlers nowadays seem to get away with whatever they can, deeming that umpires will be too scared to call them for chucking, and relying on the fact that the worst that can happen is that they will be reported. I'd much rather go back to the umpire being in charge in this area, with them being free to call bowlers for chucking if they suspect the player of breaking the rules at any stage. If an umpire has a doubt about any action or particular ball bowled, the benefit should go toward the batsmen, and not the bowler.

In another development, Marcus Trescothick, who captained England in the first test, may have to return home to England following the news that his father-in-law has fallen from a ladder and is seriously injured. The extent of the injuries are not yet known in the media, but it sounds quite nasty. Tres will make a decision later today after talking to his family on whether to catch the next flight out of Pakistan. If Michael Vaughan is not fit to return to the team on Sunday, and Tres goes home, then England would amazingly be down to their third choice Skipper, probably Freddie Flintoff.

Someone who is going home, almost certainly before the end of the test series, is Andrew Strauss. His wife is due to give birth early in December, and agreement was reached before the players set off that he would be allowed to return home and be present when the baby is born. All attempts to fit this in between the second and third tests will be made, but you cannot rush babies! Strauss's wife is always good TV viewing when her husband gets near a hundred; she seems to mentally play every ball with him, and is a joy to watch when he does finally get to the century mark. In some ways, I hope that his wife goes into labour just after the last plane out has left one night, and that she has a quick and safe birth producing a healthy baby, thereby making it impossible for Strauss to get back to England and be in the labour ward with her. If that is the case, I cannot see the reason for him to return, though I guess that will make me look heartless...