On-field Umpires Empowered to Call Bowlers for Chucking

Mumbai: BCCI has decided that in domestic matches a bowler found with an unlawful delivery action would have to be called for chucking by on-field umpires.

A three-member committee, comprising former India captain and ex-ICC Elite Panel umpire Srinivas Venkataraghavan, former pacer Javagal Srinath and ex-Test umpire A V Jayaprakash, would then view the videotapes of the bowler's action.

"The panel would then recommend that the concerned bowler undergo measures to correct his illegal bowling action at the NCA (National Cricket Academy)," BCCI sources said on Wednesday.

In the recent past it was only the match referee who was authorised to report a bowler for unlawful action to the BCCI, but these powers have now been restored to on-field umpires.

The three-man committee is also vested with powers to recommend penal action against an umpire who allows bowlers with unlawful actions go scot free, the sources said.

"This is applicable to junior as well as senior domestic cricket," they explained.

Meanwhile, the Umpires Academy - proposed by the BCCI's Working Committee - is likely to be located in Nagpur, the sources said, adding a final decision is expected to be taken at the Board's AGM on September 24.