BCCI clears Narine’s bowling action

New Delhi, May 7:

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player Sunil Narine was on Thursday cleared to bowl his off-spinners by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after undergoing a successful correction of his bowling action. He was, however, also cautioned to be careful and not deviate from his remodelled action.

The BCCI on April 28 banned the West Indian from bowling “off-spinners” in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

Narine requested an assessment of his remodelled action from BCCI’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee, following which he underwent a third biomechanical analysis of his action at the Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre in Chennai.

“This analysis has re-confirmed the conclusion of the first official assessment by the committee, namely that the remodelled action for the off-spinner does not contravene Law 24.2 (as read with Law 24.3),” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said.

“Accordingly, the committee has determined that Mr. Narine’s name be removed from the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy’s Warning List and that he may once more bowl all deliveries (the off-spinner, the knuckle ball and the quicker straight ball) in matches organised by the BCCI including the IPL.”

The BCCI added that Narine faces an outright ban from bowling in the tournament if he “deviates” from his remodelled action.

“The committee, however, has drawn Mr. Narine’s attention to paragraph 4.9 of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy. Any further report for a suspected illegal bowling action during the course of this season will automatically mean that Mr. Narine is banned from bowling for the rest of the season.”

Narine was earlier banned by the BCCI and not allowed to play for KKR in the 2014 Champions League Twenty20 final. He was twice reported by umpires for suspect action in the tournament during which his ‘doosra’ (the wrong one) delivery was under scanner.

The defending champions threatened to pull out of 2015 IPL if Narine was not allowed to play in the current edition of the tournament. He was eventually cleared by the BCCI after undergoing biomechanical tests at the start of the ongoing IPL. (IANS)