BCCI ban spinner from bowling stock ball

Sunil Narine cannot bowl off-spin any more. Not, at least, in tournaments organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

According to a media release on the Indian Premier League’s website, Narine’s off-spinners have been found to be “contravening” the bowling laws of the game and as a result of that, the West Indies mystery spinner has been banned from using that delivery any more during the competition.

The release also said Narine can continue bowling the ‘knuckle-ball’ and the ‘quicker straighter ball’.

“Following the provisions of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the committee has concluded that Mr. Narine’s bowling action for his off-spinner, contravenes Law 24.2 (as read with Law 24.3) of the Laws of Cricket and therefore the player is now banned from bowling the off-spinner in matches organised by the BCCI, including the IPL,” the statement said. 

“He may however continue to bowl his other deliveries (the knuckle ball and the quicker straight ball).”

Narine had come into the tournament with a cloud of uncertainty hanging over his head following suggestions from the IPL he would need to test his remodelled action at the ICC-accredited Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre (SRASSC) in Chennai. 

Narine’s action was cleared by the centre but umpires found it to be suspect on some of his deliveries in the game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and reported him as a result. 

While Narine was still allowed to bowl, another such transgression and reporting carried the risk of a ban from any BCCI-associated tournament until he underwent a remedial change.

The Kolkata Knight Riders didn’t pick the 26-year-old for their most recent game against the Chennai Super Kings, instead, he was sent to be tested in Chennai. 

Narine hasn’t had a pleasant time with the ball in this year’s IPL. He’s captured just two wickets from five games and conceded 7.35 runs an over and not looked as potent as his IPL career statistics point to – an impressive 69 wickets from 52 games with an economy of 5.92.

And with these latest bowling test results, it means if he delivers an off-spinner during a game it would not only be called a no-ball by the on-field umpires, he would also be banned from bowling in the tournament. 

“If Mr. Narine were to again bowl the off-spinner in this season’s IPL, the on-field umpires would apply Law 24.2 and call “No ball” and, at the end of the match, would issue a further Report. Pursuant to clause 3.4 of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the player would in such circumstances automatically be suspended from bowling in BCCI-organised matches,” the statement said.

Narine will now have to remodel his action for his stick off-spinning delivery and then be retested if he wishes to employ his full repertoire in future games in the lucrative T20 tournament.