Shillingford, the 27-year-old West Indies off-spinner, was cited by on-field umpires Steve Davis of Australia and Richard Kettleborough of England, third umpire Asad Rauf of Pakistan, fourth umpire Tyron Wijewardene of Sri Lanka and match referee Alan Hurst following the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle last week in which he took five wickets.
As with Muralitheran and all others subsequently reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the same reason, Shillingford will undergo an independent analysis of his action within 21 days, to be conducted by a member of the ICC’s panel of human movement specialists.
The ICC explained in a media statement yesterday that if found to have bowled with an illegal action during the analysis, Shillingford faces suspension from bowling in international cricket until he undertakes remedial action and is reassessed.
Until the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) receives the ICC’s report, he can continue bowling in international cricket, making him available for the second Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Tuesday at the Premadasa Stadium here.
Muraliterhan, Sri Lanka’s most celebrated player, was twice called for throwing on Sri Lanka’s 1995-96 tour of Australia – by umpires Darrell Hair in a Test and Ross Emerson in a one-day international.
It created a furore.
He was later cleared following testing after which the law was changed on the advice of the ICC’s cricket committee to allow a flex of 15 degree in the elbow on delivery. He ended his Test career earlier this year with exactly 800 wickets to his name, more than anyone else.
Several bowlers have gone through the same process as Shillingford must now.
Some have returned to the international game, others have not.
Although a consistent wicket-taker at regional level, lingering suspicions of Shillingford’s action kept him out of the Test team until last June when he had three matches against South Africa.
He was the leading taker-taker for the ‘A’ team in two four-day and five ODIs against Bangladesh at home in June and July, bowling to the satisfaction of the umpires.
On that account, he made his Test debut in all three Tests against South Africa last June when his action was passed by the standing international panel of umpires, among them Davis and Rauf.
Shillingford first had the same problems in the 2001 regional season, aged 17, when Test umpire Steve Bucknor, standing at square-leg in the Windward Islands’ match against the Leewards, no-balled him twice for throwing.
According to the umpires’ report to the ICC, the straightening of Shillingford’s arm “while he bowled some deliveries” was the main concern.
The last West Indians reported for illegal actions were fast bowler Jermaine Lawson, twice, and off-spinner Marlon Samuels. Lawson’s second report, in the 2005 Test series in Sri Lanka, effectively ended his career.
