Cricket: `You can't give Murali blanket OK'- Reid

New Zealand Cricket's operations manager, John Reid, believes the clearing of controversial Sri Lankan spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan's action in 1997 was an exercise in futility.

Reid was part of the International Cricket Council's committee which in 1997 ruled there was nothing wrong with video clips they watched of Muralitharan's bowling action.

But Reid said he did not regard Muralitharan as being cleared and, when asked, said he did not want to make public his view after watching the video.

However, in 1995 Reid said he was concerned about the legality of Muralitharan's action during a brief period coaching the New Zealand team. Trouble flared during the test in Napier, which New Zealand lost.

Muralitharan was called for throwing by Australian umpire Ross Emerson in a one-day international against England in Adelaide on Saturday.

Reid said the unusual nature of Muralitharan's action gave rise for concern, which was why in his opinion, the ICC could not clear it.

"Such judgments have to be a ball-by-ball thing on the field, and it can apply to any bowler," Reid said.

"Who's to say Muttiah will not chuck the next ball? The concept of clearing any bowler is a false one."

Reid said that at international level he was not in favour of an umpire calling a bowler for throwing, but that where available, technology should be used to decide.

The umpire could refer a bowler's action to the third umpire so the matter could be dealt with at the time. Reid said the idea had already been discussed at NZC level.

"We don't want a process that destroys a cricketer, but in the international arena there are bowlers who definitely chuck the odd delivery," he said.

Muralitharan was a big turner of the ball, and a bowler who threw would get more "purchase" on the ball than one who bowled with a straight arm.

NZC's umpiring manager, Brian Aldridge, said there was little likelihood of a bowler being called for throwing by a qualified umpire in New Zealand.

He said there had been agreement that if there were concerns about a bowler's action, the umpire would report it, and it would be dealt with in that way.

If an umpire had a concern he would pass it on to the match referee, who in turn would report to the ICC. Had that been followed, Aldridge said, there would not have been the uproar in Adelaide.

In 1995 Australian Darrell Hair, a member of the international panel, called Muralitharan several times for throwing in a test match in Australia. New Zealand's Steve Dunne was his umpiring partner, and he restricted his actions to passing on his views to the match referee.

Aldridge said the ICC probably needed to be more vigilant in tidying up instances of throwing at international level. He estimated there were 10 or 12 bowlers, whose actions were questionable or who threw the occasional ball. - NZPA