Aussie Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann Reported for Suspected Illegal Bowling Action

New Delhi: Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the recent Sri Lanka Tests, Matthew Kuhnemann, has been reported for a suspected illegal bowling action following last week’s second Test at Galle.

Kuhnemann, who claimed 16 wickets in the two matches in Galle, was the subject of a post-match report, which Cricket Australia confirmed. As a result, he will now be required to undergo an assessment to determine the legality of his action.

What Happens if the Action is Deemed Illegal?

If Kuhnemann’s bowling action is deemed illegal after the assessment, the 28-year-old will be suspended from bowling until his action has been modified and he successfully passes a subsequent assessment.

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Currently, Kuhnemann is clear to continue playing domestic cricket for Tasmania. However, he will not be allowed to bowl at the international level while his action is under assessment.

Cricket Australia’s Support for Kuhnemann

“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,” Cricket Australia said in a statement, as quoted by cricket.com.au.

Kuhnemann has played 124 professional matches since his debut in 2017, including five Test matches and four one-day internationals. He has also appeared in 55 Big Bash League games since 2018. This is the first time in his eight years of professional cricket that his action has been questioned.

ICC’s Protocol for Assessing Illegal Bowling Actions

Under ICC protocols, an illegal bowling action is defined as one where the player’s elbow extends by more than 15 degrees between their arm reaching the horizontal and the ball being released.

Match officials in international cricket rely on their experience and the naked eye to determine whether a player may be using an illegal action. If they suspect so, they submit a report, and the player is then tested at an ICC-accredited testing center. This process, supervised by experts in human movement science, uses advanced technology to confirm whether the action is illegal.

If the bowling action is found to be illegal, the player will be suspended from bowling until they modify their technique and pass a subsequent test.

Cricket Australia has stated that no further comments will be made on the matter until it is resolved.