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| Tuesday, 8 February 2005 |
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Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle Bowlers would be having a ball The Executive Committee of the International Cricket Council at its meeting held in Melbourne has unanimously decided to allow all bowlers a tolerance level of 15 degrees. It means that all bowlers have been given an open general licence to bowl in every way they desire. Bowlers especially with bent arm and suspect actions would now be heaving sighs of relief. With the ICC ex co allowing the 15 degree tolerance level, it has cocked a snook at the ICC for earlier limiting spin bowlers to a five degree tolerance level. After this it would do the ICC a lot of good if they think deep before jumping to conclusions and making rulings that subsequently get thrown out. With this ex-co decision, not only would bowlers be delighted, so too would be the umpires and the match referees. We say this because the umpires would not have to call or report bowlers again. The match referees too would not make enemies by reporting bowlers to the higher authorities. The umpires who have been relieved of most of their duties would soon be only figure heads. The ICC put the onus on the third umpires by allowing field umpires to refer most decisions to them for decisions. Stumpings, run outs, catches that are in doubt were conveniently being refereed to the umpire who is sitting in the cool of the box provided to him for rulings. At times umpires have looked jesters by referring to the third umpire when a batsman has run well past the bowling crease. Probably they were doing this as a mark of defiance and hoping that the third umpire would get the message. Also that the ICC would realise their folly. From the day the time honoured game of cricket was played, the umpire was held in high esteem and respected because his decision was always LAW. But with everything and its aspects going commercial slowly but sadly values that must also be cherished in everyday life were slowly beginning to erode. Sad. Now that the ICC Exco has allowed all bowlers the liberty of bowling every way they want, no one would blame the ICC if they chopped the lucrative fees paid to umpires and match referees. Umpires would very soon be only counting the number of deliveries in an over, while the match referees too would be doing less work. Bowlers with suspect actions who were on the assembly lines, would now be produced regularly and soon there would be a surfeit of them. These bowlers must now be doing the jig of joy and having a ball thanks to the short-sighted policies of the International Cricket Council and its equally irresponsible Executive Committee. We must thank Muttiah Muralitheran for bringing the lords at Lord's to their knees and getting them to bow before him and forcing them to change rules to his advantage. SLC must pick correctly We understand that Sri Lanka Cricket is looking for an individual to organise and run its spin department. Spin bowling is a vital cog in the game's get-up and SLC when picking the individual must see that they do not pick men with questionable credentials. SLC must not leave room for regret later. We are informed that this job would carry a lucrative salary in addition to other perks. So it is paramount that the SLC does not blindly make their pick. |
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