Cricket: India's Harbhajan reported for suspect action

LONDON - India off spinner Harbhajan Singh has been reported for a suspect bowling action when he bowls his "doosra" delivery, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.

Harbhajan was reported by umpires Aleem Dar and Mark Benson, television umpire Mahbubur Rahman and match referee Chris Broad during the second test against Bangladesh in Chittagong which India won by an innings and 83 runs on Monday.

The doosra is a delivery that spins away from a right-handed batsman, the opposite direction from an off spinner's stock ball.

"Having closely reviewed the action Harbhajan Singh employs during this delivery, the match officials decided to report the bowler to the ICC and ...notified the India team management of this course of action," ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said.

The 24-year-old Harbhajan will have his action scrutinised by biomechanics experts over the next six weeks.

Harbhajan is the sixth bowler reported to the ICC this year, and it is the second time his action has come under scrutiny after initially being reported in 1998.

He can continue to play international cricket and cannot be reported again during the period his action is under review.

The doosra came into the spotlight this year after Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan had his action referred to the sport's world ruling body. Broad was the match referee in that case as well.

The ICC outlawed the delivery but has since said it will re-examine its threshold for elbow flex allowed to bowlers after tests showed Muralitharan's arm bent by almost 15 per cent while bowling the delivery.

- REUTERS