Windies spinner Shillingford suspended for illegal action

Tuesday, 17 December 2013 00:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: West Indies spinner Shane Shillingford has been suspended from bowling in international cricket after his delivery action was found illegal, the game’s global governing body said on Monday. Shillingford’s team mate and part-time off-spinner Marlon Samuels’ bowling action while sending down his quicker deliveries has also been found illegal, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement. Shillingford and Samuels, who have previously been suspended for suspect actions, were reported during the Mumbai test against India last month and the duo visited Perth for a bio-mechanical analysis of their bowling actions.

“The analysis revealed that for both his (Shillingford) standard off-break delivery and his doosra, the amount of elbow extension in his bowling action exceeded the 15 degrees’ level of tolerance permitted,” the ICC said of the 30-year-old spinner who has taken 65 wickets from 14 tests. “He is suspended from bowling in international cricket until such time that he has submitted to a fresh analysis, which concludes that he has remedied his bowling action.” Samuels, a veteran of 50 tests, can continue to bowl his standard off-break delivery but is not permitted to bowl his quicker deliveries. “Should Samuels be reported again for a suspected illegal bowling action within the next two years, such a report will be deemed to be a second report for the purposes of the ICC Regulations,” the statement said. “If the independent biomechanical analysis following the second report concludes that Samuels has an illegal action, whether it is for his quicker deliveries or any other type of delivery, he will be automatically suspended from bowling in international cricket for a minimum period of 12 months.” The bowlers have a right to appeal against the recent findings. West Indies are trailing New Zealand 1-0 in a three-test series and will play the hosts in the final match at Hamilton on Thursday.