When Pakistani new ball bowlers Sarfaraz Newaz, Imran introduced reverse swing and Wasim –Waqar perfected English cricket community started raising hue and cry about the legitimacy of Reverse Swing. In one test Inzimam refused to continue a test match in protest When great Muralidharan started tormenting Australia one person called Daryl Hair called his action illegal ruling no balls.

Arjuna Ranatunga strongly protested and walked out with his team at MCG. Sarfraz, Imran, Wasim and Waqar could not be suspended .Rather English and Australian bowlers learned the art of reveres swing and it is now part of the game.

Saqlain Mustaq introduced doosra and Muarlidharan perfected it. Now off spinners in every country are endeavoring to learn the art.

Now the questions are whether bowl doctoring is an art or crime? Is it permissible in cricket? If the bowlers can achieve the skill through rubbing one side of the ball and keeping the other side shiny as long as possible the thermodynamic action of the ball after usual wear and tear from the roughs of dry wicket will cause reverse swing. Other day I was talking to a RMIT professor in Melbourne. He said there has been extensive research in Australian university on reverse swing and according to them reverse swing is no illegitimate. Is it the only reason ICC says nothing about reverse swing these days? Or it is because English and Australian bowlers also have learned reverse swing and wickets in those countries are made in such way that it starts helping reverse swing?

Spinners of sub continental countries thrive in their conditions and have more opportunities to learn doosras for their flexible arms. That is why the Saqlain Mustaq introduced dosras are easily being tried and perfected by several other susbcontinental players much more easily than others. Saqlain Mustaq and Mustaq Ahmed are working as coaches in different countries including England and West Indies. Bowlers are learning dossras and teesras? May be one day when English and Australian spinners will learn the tricks this will be also favored like reverse swing.

One of my very intimate friends Dr Maung Kyaw Sein Professor of IT in Norway always argued terming Muralidharan as a Chucker. World Cricket left nothing unturned to make him that .But great Murali passed all test and retired after taking phenomenal 800 test wickets. Wasim and Waqar will possibly remain as fearsome Fast Bowling combination ever to play the game. Saeed Aajmal if not of that category is also one of the best spin bowler ever to play cricket .His action has been questioned recently and ICC banned him for illegal action. Did he change his action recently? Not far ago he was adjudged the best bowler by ICC in ODI. But now with Australia Pakistan series coming soon and world cup not far away suddenly he was reported and after examination of his bowling in Australia suspended. Earlier Suchitra Senanayake of Sri Lanka and very recently Sohag Gazi and Al Amin Hossian’s bowling has also been reported for suspect actions. It is interesting to note that these bowlers are all from the subcontinent. No bowlers from England, Australia, South Arfica and West Indies are reported. Not also from India. We do not say any bowler if his bowling action is not within permissible limit he should be favored. But we have lots of doubt about the fairness of the umpiring these days. Players of three countries England, Australia and India are clearly getting more benefits of doubt than the others. Bowlers of those three countries are enjoying a little bit more benefits. The matter must be seriously looked into before it gets out of control. Our concern is whether teams other than the elite group are intentionally targeted ?

BDST: 0947 HRS, SEP 12, 2014