Daily Times

Sir: “Watching some of the bowlers’ actions today, I think I might have created a monster,” said Arjuna Ranatunga in reference to his defence of Muttiah Muralitharan during his career. It becomes a matter of concern when a team’s own captain admits that his or her particular player is doing something wrong. Ranatunga might have thought that Murali will be dispensed with and the International Cricket Council (ICC) would deal strictly with other bowlers. But when one bowler ‘chucks’ his way to 800 test wickets, how can the ICC start implementing strict rules on other bowlers like Ajmal, Botha, Samuels or Harbhajan Singh, all of whom have had controversial bowling actions. By allowing a player to bowl at varying degrees, it is evidently unfair to those who bowl within the legally permissible limits. Obviously, when these limits are breached, the bowler is able to use this to his or her own advantage, which naturally turns into the batsman’s disadvantage. Whether Saeed Ajmal is the highest wicket taker of the world or the best bowler of our country, there should be zero tolerance.

MOHAMMAD SHAHRUKH KHALID
Rawalpindi