Saeed Ajmal ban: Other bowlers banned for 'illegal action' over the past few years

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal was banned from bowling on Tuesday by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after tests revealed he bent his arm more than 15 degrees, the most allowed for a bowler. Even worse, the ICC found that all of Ajmal's deliveries were 'illegal' - in the sense that they were bowled with his arm bent excessively. His action was reported after the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle.

Ajmal can remodel his bowling action and reapply for assessment at any time. While the loss of offspinner Ajmal is a big blow to the Pakistan cricket team especially with the World Cup coming up, this is not the first time that a bowler has been reported for his bowling action (called throwing or chucking).

Also Read: Pakistan Cricket Board not to file appeal for overturn of ban on spinner Saeed Ajmal

Over the last 15 years, at least 10 bowlers' actions have been reported to the ICC, and they have been banned from bowling at some point of time. Some of the major ones are:

1) Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan): Umpires Doug Cowie and Steve Dunne reported Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for suspect bowling action during a match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Dunedin in 2001. Previously, he had been banned for the same for six months in 1999, but the ban was eventually revoked.

2) Johan Botha (South Africa): He was banned by ICC in February 2006, after an analysis by bowling expert Bruce Elliott. He failed the reassessment test in August 2006, but finally passed it in November, and was allowed to bowl again. However, in 2009, Botha was again reported, and this time his doosra was banned.

3) Abdur Razzak (Bangladesh): Following New Zealand's tour of Bangladesh in October 2008, Razzak was reported by umpires Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva for a suspect bowling action. It was found that he bent his arm by as much as 22 to 28 degrees. Therefore he was banned from bowling in international cricket completely. Razzak rectified his action and in March 2009, he was allowed to bowl again after he had corrected both his faster ball and stock deliveries.

4) Shane Shillingford (West Indies): Umpires Asad Rauf, Richard Kettleborough and Steve Davis reported Shillingford for a suspect action on November 20, 2010, right after his very first international match. It was found that he bent his arm by 17 degrees. The ICC proceeded to ban Shillingford in December that year. He rectified his action and by May he was allowed to play again.

5) Marlon Samuels (West Indies): Marlon Samuels is a controversial character. He was banned for chucking in February 2008 and then got embroiled in a match fixing saga, with several allegations made against him by the Indian police. He was banned for two years in May 2008, mainly for his involvement in fixing.

6) Sachitra Senanayake (Sri Lanka): Senanayake's case was widely reported in the media. In June 2014, he was reported for suspect bowling action in an ODI against England at Lord's. Four deliveries sent down in the fourth one-day international at Lord’s were deemed to be in breach of the 15-degree elbow extension permitted under International Cricket Council rules. After analysis of his action, the ICC banned him with immediate effect. Senanayake is still serving his ban.

7) Kane Williamson (New Zealand): During the second Test against West Indies at Port of Spain, Trindad in June 2014, New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson was reported for suspect bowling action. In July, New Zealand Cricket said that the ICC had banned Williamson. He is still serving the ban.

This list only comprises well-known bowlers who have been banned after being reported for suspect action. In the past, umpires have directly called players for chucking and prevented them from bowling any further during the match. The most infamous case is that of Mutthaiah Muralitharan. Muralitharan was called by umpire Darrell Hair during Sri Lanka's tour of Australia in December 1995.
 

Soon after lunch on Boxing Day of 1995, Lanka's Chandika Hathurusinghe was fielding at square leg at the MCG when New Zealand umpire Steve Dunne told him that co-umpire Darrell Hair thought Murali was chucking. Soon after, Darrell Hair began to call Murali for his action by signalling a no ball time and again. The incident created tension between the Sri Lankans and the Australians, and even between the two umpires. Worse, allegations of racism were thrown around.

However, in January 1996 Muralitharan was again called by umpires Tony McQuillan and Ross Emerson in Brisbane. However, the ICC cleared his action in May of that year. After he was called a third time, this time by umpire Ross Emerson in Adelaide in 1999, his action was reassessed and cleared again. At that time, the limit for bending the arm was five degrees for bowlers. Eventually, ICC raised the limit to 15 degrees after it was found that 99% of bowlers exceeded the limit.

Muralitharan however has been subjected to abuse by Australian crowds ever since he was first called in 1995. Australian crowds used to heckle Murali with chants of "No Ball" when he was bowling. Australian PM John Howard too called Muralitharan a "chucker". In 2004, Muralitharan decided to skip all future Australian tours, but returned to play there in 2008, and was promptly subjected to more abuse in Hobart. A Lankan selector was hit by an egg, and several people abused Muralitharan and some of his teammates while walking back from a restaurant to their team hotel.

The 15 degree limit remains a contentious issue in international cricket, with various present and former players expressing diverse opinions on the issue. The issue has been around for decades, though it has assumed prominence in the last twenty years or so. Interestingly, most bowlers who have been called or suspended for "chucking" in recent times have been premier bowlers for their respective teams, whose presence can drastically change the team's fortunes.