14 Monday 27th April, 2009

t is that time of year again when bowler with a highly suspect action. If It is Warne who almost a month the local sports scene is about as umpires can cite Johan Botha over his ago, claimed how the left-arm Kamran Iboring as some politicians’ promis- action, they should have no compunc- is the new rough diamond in the bowl- es at election time. tion about citing the Rajasthan Royals ing attack. Initially, he was said to be When the heaps of garbage that lit- left-arm fast bowler Kamran Khan. eighteen and slept many nights on a ter the once admired landscape in and Sure, he doesn’t throw every delivery, railway platform, as there was around the capital that also attracted but the question is, what laws do the nowhere else to go. He went to a tourists, grow daily with their dis- IPL use? Rajasthan practice where Darren eased foul-smelling piles that add to In the rush for refugee status, Berry, the former Victorian Assistant the unsightly and disgusting mess. which is the result of how narcissistic Coach, and now director of coaching It reminds us, Yahaluweni,how it Lalit Modi’s viewed security reasons with the Royals, spotted him. is that time of year when such mal- in India, he felt it would be in the Warne was all praise for the rookie functioned events are run by a dys- league’s best interests to eschew mas- Kamran whose one over against Cape functional system, and how Sri Lanka sive home-based support. His impetu- Cobras in a practice game accounted rugby goofs are now boasting about ousness over the security imbroglio he for Justin Ontong’s wicket with a their international ranking, which is had with the Indian government and viciously delivered yorker that had a serious joke elsewhere. Like the security issues added to other admin- doubts about its legitimacy. Warne piles of garbage, reading about such mutant rugby admin types, and play- Plans for Pakistan to tour Sri Lanka, while... ers, is a tiresome subject. The need is for a serious clean up. Being reduced to watching the Indian Premier League is one thing, preferable is the series in Dubai where Australia are playing Pakistan. At least this is far more interesting and Modi’s IPL is entertaining and about genuine sport played by real people. What has been more interesting is a memo from Sri Lanka Cricket media the other day about Pakistan likely to harbouring tour Sri Lanka later in the year. It is a reciprocal visit anyway and whether it comes off will be interesting with three Tests and a bunch of slogs and a T20 as well. those with If the tour comes off, the tourists can the security arrangements will be of a higher standard than given to the Sri Lankans in Lahore last month. What should be done is for someone in suspect actions the International Cricket Council to whisper in the ear of Javed Miandad is to shut his stupid mouth. It had been all too obvious, as istrative concerns. also said the team was on the verge of pointed out in last week’s files, how By making the move across the finalising a nickname for Khan, a security in Pakistan had reached a Indian Ocean, a curious new audience woodcutter’s son from Azamgarh in point where the country was shaky to get the feel of a Bollywood hyped North India. and the stability of the country, the event that is really no more than pure “We’re tossing up now what his United States felt it created a major entertainment, he created a problem nickname is going to be, Wild Thing or concern for the region. for the IPL and other factors about the Tornado - something like that.” Well, How long did Miandad want before game. Anyway, the term cricket is a maybe ‘Chuck’ is more appropriate. a final decision had to be made to mere substitute for such a malformed For those who haven’t yet seen move the planned CWC11 games else- format of the game. him, Kamran Khan is a left-arm where? You cannot plan an event of No matter of course how young- slinger al la Jeff Thomson and Lasith this nature around maybes. While a sters become suckered in by the propa- Malinga, and despite being short, can brilliant batsman in his day, Miandad, ganda and the false façade rev it up to a speed in as a coach, was found wanting and his of the T20 image that The excess of 140 kp/h. But, new role within the Pakistan Cricket encourages flawed batting Chesterfield the action has created a Board is just as shaky and as flawed as techniques. There are few Files query. the system. He talks to much about AB de Villiers in this world While he may get away things he should leave to diplomats. who hits the ball so clean- with it for a while, it is He was one of the Pakistan geeks ly; look at those who heave also highly suspect. who made a noise about Chris Broad’s wildly across the line, Unfortunately, Modi and Kamran Khan...how legitimate is his action? ‘sitting duck’s comments of the horrif- exposing their off-stump. his IPL cronies may not ic Lahore terrorist ambush of 3/3. As Let us forget for the like such controversies, the Sri Lankan A Team management Lankan Ruchia Perera several Miandad was not in the line of fire, moment as well how the and may not have in place along with a third party, the New months later at Lord’s. but Pakistan lost six policemen – PR run-around types (the the mechanism, such as Zealand A team of Sir Richard Hadlee The question is, should Kamran along with their families – he should golaya goofs), helping run that of the International and Mark O’Donnell, made cutting Khan’s action be cited, and there are have kept quite. But firing from the lip this made for television Cricket Council. This is comments about it. A report, it had maybe a dozen or more who have is one of his favourite pastimes. reality roadshow do have a despite having most mem- been claimed by Sri Lanka Cricket, raised the issue of whether his Possibly similar to the Shane major problem with such by Trevor bers of the elite Test was being written by the umpires who action is fair, what next. Would the Warne edict when suggesting he had matters as South African Chesterfield umpires panel standing in took part in the A team “Tests” and IPL or Rajasthan Royals be responsi- found India a new, highly lethal left- geography and road sign- games. limited-over series triangular, and ble for sending him to undergo tests arm fast bowler by the name of boards. Botha, it is said, lost a contract would cover Botha’s action. and remedial treatment? Or, have the Kamran Khan. Expectations were that But goofs (or golayas) of this with the Rajasthan Royals after being Later claims were made that it was IPL umpires been told to look the here would be someone special and nature need to be excused. They may cited for throwing in Port Elizabeth by being translated into English from other way? This was the result of longer-term a possible replacement for even get used to a little Afrikaans as umpires Brian Jerling, Rudi Koertzen Sinhalese. This was the last heard enquiries in 1951 in England when Zaheer Khan. well from the phrase book. Like and Sri Lanka’s Asoka De Silva. What about the report and five months later, Franck Chester and Frank Lee raised After all, this is Shane Warne “Hello. Kan u vir my sê of ons in Jerling will make of Kamran is anoth- it was left to the umpires and match the issue about the legitimacy of right. He would know what he is say- Pretoria is, of is dit Centurion of er matter. The action is more similar referee Chris Broad to cite Botha on South African Cuan McCarthy’s ing. He had been one of the great Benoni?” (Hello. Can you tell me if to that of Sri Lanka Thilina his Test debut in Sydney in New Year action. bowlers of the last century as well as this is Pretoria, or Centurion or Thusuara, a slinging action. The big Test of January 2006.. What this tells us is, if Kamran is the first decade of this one with his Benoni?” difference being that Thushara bowls Citing bowlers is a new method of allowed to get away with it, the IPL leg-spin. He wouldn’t make such false But let us return to Warne and with a straight arm, whereas Khan dealing with the problem as opposed will be seen flouting the laws of the claims either unless this guy had Kamran show. Yet, if the umpires do bowls with a flexation arm exceeding to that in the past when they were game and add to the problem where something special. their job, certain suggestions are how 15 degree’s. called under the law. Darrell Hair bowlers with suspect actions can Well . . . that had been the scenario the Rajasthan Royals have a bowler in As a recap, Botha’s action had called the last bowler in a Test – Grant flourish. It is also a bad advert for presented on the eve of the Indian their ranks that needs to be tested in always been suspect. It was questioned Flower in Bulawayo in November those coaches in the IPL system who Premier League with its new refugee Perth by Dr Bruce Eliott at the as far back as 2005 when the South 2001 against New Zealand – before are allowing this to take place. status. But what do we get? Why, it is a Western Australia University. African A team toured Sri Lanka and the first bowler to be cited was Sri email: [email protected] Dallas overcome Parker, Spurs for 3-1 series lead

DALLAS (AP) - A spectacular half as hard and long as needed to give New 17 of its first 19 shots, and a 25-6 Heat and a late surge by Tony Parker could- Orleans a desperately needed victory. run to end the first half pushed their n’t save the San Antonio Spurs from Paul had 32 points and 12 assists in lead to 50-29. the brink of elimination as the Dallas 46 minutes, helping to cut Denver’s Josh Smith, Al Horford and Mike Mavericks won 99-90 for a 3-1 lead in lead in the first-round series to 2-1. Bibby scored 13 apiece for Atlanta, their NBA playoffs series on Saturday. Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points which is 0-12 in road playoff games Josh Howard scored 28 points, for Denver, but missed a jumper that since May 8, 1997, losing all but one seven in an early second-half spurt could have put the Nuggets in the lead by at least 10 points. that put the Mavericks ahead to stay. with under 5 seconds left. James Posey, The Heat host Game 4 on Monday. Parker had 31 of his 43 points by playing with a sprained knee, corralled halftime, matching George Gervin’s the rebound. Game 4 is on Monday. Lakers 108, Jazz 94 team playoff record for points in a New Orleans’ David West had 19 At Salt Lake City, Kobe Bryant fol- half. points and nine rebounds before foul- lowed his worst shooting game in Without an incredible comeback ing out in the final minute. Rasual years by scoring 38 points to lead Los onTuesday in San Antonio, the Spurs Butler scored 17 points and Posey had Angeles over Utah for a 3-1 series will be eliminated in the first round of 13 points and nine rebounds, none advantage. the playoffs for the first time since bigger than his last with 3.2 seconds Bryant, who was 16-for-24, scored 2000. They have been in every postsea- left. Los Angeles’ first 11 points and once son since and won three NBA titles. For Denver, Chauncey Billups his teammates joined in, the Lakers After Parker and Duncan, with 25 scored 16 points, J.R. Smith 14, Linas overwhelmed the Jazz and moved points and 10 rebounds, helped push Kleiza 13 and Kenyon Martin 12. within one game of advancing to the the Spurs to a 55-51 halftime lead, second round. Howard hit a 3-pointer to open the sec- Heat 107, Hawks 78 Lamar Odom had 10 points and 15 ond half. By the time Howard made At Miami, Dwyane Wade finished rebounds and Pau Gasol added 13 another three minutes later, after with 29 points and eight assists, and points for the Lakers, who host Game Jason Kidd hit one, Dallas led 64-58. Jermaine O’Neal added 22 points and 5 on Monday. Dirk Nowitzki was held to 12 points, 10 rebounds as Miami extended Deron Williams had 23 points and Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry, left bottom, guard Antoine Wright (21) and guard Jose Juan Barea, but had 13 rebounds. Kidd scored 17. Atlanta’s decade-plus road playoff 13 assists and Carlos Boozer also center rear, defend as San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) goes up for a shot in the first half of a Hornets 95, Nuggets 93 drought to lead their series 2-1. scored 23 and pulled down 16 first-round Western Conference NBA playoff basketball game in Dallas, Saturday, April 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) At New Orleans, Chris Paul played It was over early: Atlanta missed rebounds for Utah.