Kaushal allowed to bowl sans ‘doosra’

Sri Lanka off-spinner partially cleared to resume playing

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal — who was reported for a suspect action — has been cleared to resume playing provided he does not bowl the “doosra”, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.

Kaushal, 22, was reported during the third Test against India this month, but tests at an ICC-accredited centre in Chennai cleared him partially.

The “doosra” (the second one) is the Urdu word for the off-spinner’s googly, which turns from leg to off.

“The results showed that the level of elbow extension measured for all deliveries bowled was well within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under ICC regulations,” said the world governing body in a statement. “However, the assessment also revealed that Kaushal’s ‘doosra’ was found to exceed the 15-degree level of tolerance.”

Kaushal has picked up 24 wickets from six Tests since making his international debut last December.

Acting on the recommendations of its cricket committee last year, the ICC has cracked down on suspect bowling actions, with off-spinners being the main target.

Meanwhile, according to ESPNCricinfo, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has said that it is “committed to making every effort to assist Kaushal in taking corrective measures to permit him to bowl without restriction”.

“SLC’s staff will spend extra hours with Kaushal to correct the action within the shortest possible time frame,” said an SLC release.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2015.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.