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| Wednesday, 16 February 2005 |
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New rules for the game Science is set to prevail over subjectivity in relation to one of cricket's most contentious issues: chucking. From March 1, 2005, the new rules of the game will allow a greater latitude to players who bend their arm while bowling. Bowlers will be allowed to straighten their arm (from the level of the shoulder in the delivery swing up to the point of delivery) to a maximum of 15 degrees. This is against the existing tolerance levels (introduced in 2001) of 5 degrees for spinners, 7.5 degrees for medium-pacers, and 10 degrees for fast bowlers. The new bowling law which was recently adopted by the International Cricket Council's Chief Executives' Committee and which will come into force on March 1 is fairer, easier to apply, and holds out the promise of putting an end to one of the most divisive of cricket controversies. It will be incorrect to view the new law as a mere relaxation of prevailing chucking regulations. Rather, it is a rationalisation founded on two surprising but wholly scientific findings that were contained in a report endorsed by the ICC's cricket committee and was based on a research programme conducted by biomechanics experts. First, virtually every bowler in international cricket straightens his arm during delivery. Secondly, the majority of bowlers bend their bowling arm to a degree that breaches the permissible limits. In the face of such evidence, gleaned from studying the actions of contemporary bowlers and former greats including Dennis Lillee, it became imperative to rationalise the regulations governing chucking. In doing so, the ICC has done away with the irrationality of having different standards for different categories of bowlers. The new and common maximum tolerance level of 15 per cent is the point at which any straightening of arm is believed to become apparent to the naked eye. The other important element being introduced is a shorter and more independent review process for bowlers with doubtful actions. Umpires will still be empowered to lodge reports against those they suspect of exceeding the 15 degree limit, but the bio-mechanical analysis of the reported bowler will be completed within 21 days under the supervision of the ICC. The fact that all bio-mechanical testing will now be standardised should act as a deterrent against complaints that one bowler was discriminated against or that another was favoured. One great bowler who will benefit from the new law is the prodigious off-spinner, Muthiah Muralitharan, whose deceptive and wicket-taking doosra (the delivery that turns the other way) was banned by the ICC. An analysis of the action of the Sri Lankan bowler by a biomechanics laboratory in Australia showed that he straightened his elbow by 14 degrees and, following remediation, by 10 degrees. Both these figures are within the tolerance level that will come into force next month, though they constitute a breach of the existing ones. The report prepared by this team of experts, which was first published in The Hindu (May 7, 2004), paved the way for the new regulations; it argued persuasively that the 15 per cent tolerance limit must apply to all bowlers and that Muralitharan's doosra did not give him "an unfair advantage" either over batsmen or over other bowlers. Another likely beneficiary is India's Harbhajan Singh, whose action is under scrutiny to determine whether his doosra is legitimate. What these and other bowlers should be grateful for is that the agonising question will now be determined on the basis of objective tests on a level playing field. Bowlers will no longer be victims of individual judgment, of trial by the media, or of campaigns run by cricket establishments in rival countries. Modern technology and clear thinking have shown us that the issue is no longer who `chucks'. Almost all bowlers straighten their arm more than we think; the only question is how much leeway they should be allowed. |
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