Whatever problems the old system had, it at least had the merit of being workable. The current one isn't. &, moreover, it's not fair on the side who have to face a chucker either. England's defeat in 05/06 against a proven thrower is still in Wisden.
It seems we're more concerned about the feelings of a bloke who chucks than the integrity of the sport.
Someone above said that Ajmal's "teesra" or "new delivery", as opposed to what he was doing before, is a chuck. It made me laugh because the "new delivery" talk is actually a smokescreen which creates a convenient fallback position that enables the bowler to consolidate what he has already been able to get away with, given the pusillanimous refusal of the authorities to do their job.
Holding pointed out some time ago that Ajmal's "doosra" was a chuck and that he was wearing long sleeves to make it more difficult to see the degree of flex in his elbow as he was chucking it; now he unveils the "teesra", in part so that the gullible are suckered into fighting on the ground of this new delivery. The
on dit amongst ordinary fans - now transmogrified into "dissidents" - who can scarcely believe the disconnect between the blatant chucking they're witnessing and the ICC's inaction will be:
"The 'teesra' is a chuck but the 'doosra' was compliant", instead of "Ajmal's a chucker; he should stop throwing the ball or be banned from the game".
The doosra is not compliant, and some doubt whether it is possible to bowl that delivery AT ALL with a compliant action! When Pakistan played Sri Lanka some months ago I could scarcely believe my eyes as Ajmal threw ball after ball at the SL batsmen like a baseball pitcher, and this was long before the so-called "teesra" was unveiled!
The last thing the game needs is a cross-cultural political kerfuffle which results in the fudge of the "teesra" being banned whilst Ajmal continues to be allowed to chuck the ball as and when he likes under the header of "doosra". Just because the ICC aren't prepared to do their job it doesn't stop ordinary cricket fans from calling a blatant chuck a blatant chuck. But so long as Ajmal's deliveries are ruled legal then I will continue to accept them as such without demur whilst still believing in my heart of hearts that he is chucking the ball.
Flower should have said no comment and the players should have said nothing pro or anti Ajmal's action. It's not their decision. It's the ICC's, and if they decide to do nothing then so be it: worse things have happened in the world. The England players simply have to put it out of their minds, play him positively and ensure that he doesn't get into their heads in the same way as Warne once did.
