The proposed changes in dealing with illegal actions

The changes proposed by the expert panel and cleared by the ICC Executives' Committee, and the rationale behind them

05-Feb-2005

The changes proposed by the expert panel and cleared by the ICC Executives' Committee, and the rationale behind them:

An acceptance that the focus of the law concerning illegal actions is that it seeks to deal with the extension of the arm that is visible to the naked eye.

Research conducted by the ICC and several leading bio-mechanists around the world using high-speed cameras has established that most bowlers are likely to straighten their bowling arm to some degree during the bowling action. This is likely to be to a degree undetectable to the naked eye.

It was agreed that the law was not seeking eliminate this imperceptible straightening of the arm.

This view was confirmed by the game's lawmaker, the Marylebone Cricket Club, which advised that it was unaware that bowlers were likely to straighten their arm to a level imperceptible to the naked eye when it drafted the laws and that its intention was to prevent straightening which is visible to the naked eye.

All bowlers will be permitted to straighten their arms up to 15 degrees which has been established as the point at which any straightening will become visible to the naked eye.

This limit replaces the variable limits put in place two years ago which have been superseded by the latest research into this issue.

Umpires and match referees will continue to lodge a report based on what they see on the field with the naked eye. Following a report, when the player is undergoing the analysis of his action, 15 degrees of straightening will be the threshold beyond which an action will be deemed to be illegal.

The introduction of a shorter, independent review process under the central control of the ICC with immediate suspensions for bowlers found to have illegal actions.

The first bio-mechanical analysis of a reported bowler's action must now be completed within 21 days, down from six weeks, and this process will now come under the control of the ICC rather than remain with the player's home board.

The overhaul and standardisation of the bio-mechanical testing of bowlers to ensure that all tests are: a) conducted using the same equipment and standards; b) reproduced in, as far as is possible, match conditions; and c) consistent in the way that bowlers are tested.

Strengthening of the initiatives to deal with the issue at the international and regional Under-19 level.

For the ICC U-19 World Cup 2004, the ICC established an independent expert panel to observe the players in the tournament and identify any bowlers with potentially illegal actions. Any report was then provided to the home board of the player concerned to be addressed. It was agreed that this type of procedure would now be adopted by regional associations and member boards for regional and domestic age-group events respectively.