Steve Waugh

Muralidharan

Sydney: Controversial off-spinner Muttiah Muralidharan has found an ally in old foe Steve Waugh in his latest brush with cricket administrators.

Muralidharan, who is vying with Shane Warne for becoming the most prolific Test wicket-taker of all time, was reported for suspect action after taking 28 wickets in the recent 0-3 series loss to Australia in Sri Lanka.

ICC Match Referee Chris Broad said he suspected that Muralidharan’s ‘doosra’ — his wrong ’un or ball that spins away from the right-handed batsman — was bowled with an illegal action.

The ICC ordered Muralidharan to undergo rigorous testing and remedial work and the Sri Lanka board appointed Bruce Elliott, a biomechanist at the University of West Australia, to analyse the ‘doosra’ to determine if it’s bowled with a legal action.

The testing “will prove once and for all whether he is legal or illegal,” Waugh, who retired in January, told a business lunch on Wednesday. “I hope for the game’s sake that they find he’s okay because he’s great to watch — he is a unique type of bowler.

“He makes Sri Lanka competitive in world cricket... He gets people talking about cricket. They are the sort of players you want in the game.”

Sri Lankan officials said they were yet to get a definite word on Muralidharan’s bowling action from Elliott.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “corrective steps” are being designed for Muralidharan, who is yet to be cleared after two rounds of testing on the ‘doosra’.

Waugh said bowling rules specific to bending the elbow during the delivery arc needed to be simplified, clarified and enforced by the ICC to ensure no bowlers are discriminated against.

“Someone came up with a stat saying if they imposed that rule right now, 50 per cent of all bowlers would be called for chucking,” he said. “So they need to change that rule or to eliminate it, or do something with it so that everyone just gets on with playing the game.”

Steve, meanwhile, is enjoying life away from cricket and even doesn’t mind if he is not allowed to watch the sport on television.

“As a cricketer you do get spoiled. It’s great while it lasts but you don’t want to stay in that sort of lifestyle for too long. You’re back to reality with three kids because you’ve got to do the hard work and the little things.

“You’ve got to change nappies and get them breakfast in the morning and do the normal stuff, which I really enjoy.”

Waugh is relishing the chance to read stories to his kids, drive his seven-year-old daughter Rosie to school and ballet, take his four-year-old son Austin to the golf range and play with his two-year-old Lily. (AP)