Sort out this 'chucking' saga soon

I must admit I feel a bit sorry for the latest of the longish line of accused ‘chuckers’.

Unless you have been doing a Mark Shuttleworth, you will be aware that Ruchira Perera was the subject of much speculation regarding his bowling action during the first Test between England and Sri Lanka.

By the way isn’t it funny how the Poms started muttering behind gin and tonic glasses once the left arm seamer started making some of their own look decidedly second rate!

Following the dull conclusion of the drawn Test, that incidentally was controlled by Sri Lanka, match referee Gundappa Viswanath officially reported Perera to the ICC for a suspect bowling action. The two standing ‘elite’ umpires Srinivas Rent-a-caravan and Daryl I-better-be-sharper, brought the matter to the attention of the match referee after studying some isolated footage of the man who picked up five English scalps.

For the record the modus operandi is as follows. Perera is able to continue playing with the assistance of a specialist advisor and is eligible for selection for the second Test.

If he is reported again within 12 months he must then take up self-rehabilitation with an ICC appointed advisor. Should Perera be on the carpet a for the third time in 12 months the ICC are obliged to convene and decide whether a 12 month ban should be implemented.

Now back to my opening statement.

Perera was playing in his seventh Test and had not been doubted previously in his promising career. How must he feel now knowing that other big names have been called, cleared, (not once but twice in some cases!) and are continuing to cause havoc with the best batsmen on show.

Those who have been subject to this scrutiny have been the likes of Muralitharan, Akhtar and in some dubious circles Lee, to name the more recognizable.

Don’t get me wrong. Perera does have a dodgy action and when you take wickets you are the subject of more action replays and subsequent scrutiny. The ICC seems recently to have sprouted some molars and need to sharpen up on this chucking stuff.

The harsh reality of the matter is that Perera sadly is rather innocuous and doesn’t bring much to the game of cricket. The other three I have mentioned above bring plenty.

Is this not the perfect case of pin the tail on the donkey!