Kuhnemann faces bowling scrutiny after action reported
Australia's leading wicket-taker in Sri Lanka Tests was reported by officials for a suspected illegal bowling action
Matthew Kuhnemann, Australia's bowling hero from their 2-0 Test clean sweep against Sri Lanka, has been reported for a suspect bowling action during last week's second Test at Galle.
Kuhnemann was the subject of a post-match report, Cricket Australia confirmed, and will now be compelled to undergo assessment to rule whether his action is legal.
If that process – using state-of-the-art technology as well as video evidence of Kuhnemann's bowling in the Test – deems his action is illegal, the 28-year-old he will be suspended from bowling until his action has been modified and a subsequent assessment is passed.
He is currently clear to continue playing domestic cricket for Tasmania but would be unable to bowl at international level, although Australia's next Test engagements are not scheduled until the middle of the year.
Kuhnemann has the full support of CA who noted the left-armer had not previously had his action queried since making his senior cricket debut in the domestic one-day competition in 2017.
"The Australian team was notified of the match officials' referral following the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle and will support Matt through the process of clearing this matter," CA said in a statement released today.
"Matt has played 124 professional matches since his debut in 2017, including five Test matches and four one-day internationals.
"He has played 55 Big Bash League games since 2018.
"This is the first time in those eight years of professional cricket that his action been questioned.
"Cricket Australia will liaise closely with the ICC and independent experts in line with ICC regulations.
"No further comment will be made by Cricket Australia or Matthew until the matter is resolved."
Kuhnemann was the series' leading wicket-taker in the recently concluded Sri Lanka Test campaign at Galle with 16 at an average of 17.18.
That haul was the most by an Australia bowler in a two-Test series since Nathan Lyon's 22 in Bangladesh on the 2017 tour and lifted Kuhnemann's career tally to 25 wickets (at 22.20) from five Tests.
He has also recorded the most productive return of any Australia spinner in the first five matches of a Test career since fellow left-armer Steve O'Keefe snared 26 (at 20.35) between 2014 and 2017.
Kuhnemann was a vital part of Australia's first series clean sweep in Asia for almost 20 years despite playing both Tests in Sri Lanka with a fractured right thumb sustained following a fielding mishap while playing for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL.
It's unclear whether that injury, which required him to wear specially designed protective guards while fielding and batting, will impact his availability for Tasmania in the latter phase of the current domestic season.
Under ICC protocols for dealing with illegal bowling actions that were adopted in September 2018, define a fair delivery is one whereby "once the bowler's arm has reached the level of the shoulder in the delivery swing, the elbow joint is not straightened partially or completely from that point until the ball has left the hand".
It also cites scientific research that has shown almost all bowling actions contain some degree of straightening of the elbow, and a bowling action is deemed illegal when a bowler's elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees.
A report raising concern about a player's bowling action can be made at the end of a match by an officiating umpire or match referee, with the player involved (as well as their home administration) to be advised within 24 hours.
The player is then required to undergo an independent assessment of their action, with footage of the match from which the report was lodged made available.
That assessment is to be carried out within 14 days of the report being received by the national body – in Kuhnemann's case, Cricket Australia – with the scrutiny supervised by a member of the ICC's panel of human movement specialists.
Australia's accredited testing facility is the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, where Kuhnemann will undergo assessment in coming weeks.
In 2020, Sydney Thunder off spinner Chris Green was banned from bowling for three months when he was reported during a BBL match against Melbourne Stars and subsequent testing found his action to be illegal.
Green went on to represent Australia in a T20 international against India in 2023 and played for multiple franchises in 20-over competitions around the world.
The most recent big-name player to be sidelined for an illegal bowling action is veteran Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan whose inability to bowl meant he was overlooked for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan and the UAE.
The 37-year-old, who has retired from Test and T20I cricket, was reported when making a one-off appearance for UK county outfit Surrey last September.
Shakib then failed an independent assessment of his action at Loughborough University, the ICC-accredited testing facility in the UK, which meant he was unable to bowl his left-arm orthodox spin in any format of the game.
The world's former top-ranked allrounder underwent further testing at Sri Ramachandra Centre for Sports Science in Chennai last December, but was unable to have the ban on his bowling lifted.
SOURCE:
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4214046
