Botha banned from bowling.

South African spinner Johan Botha has been banned from bowling after the ICC found his action to be illegal.

This comes after his action was reported by match officials during his debut Test, at Sydney. Both of his deliveries, his stock off-break and his doosra, were analysed by Bruce Elliott, one of the ICC’s human movement specialists. He found that Botha extended his elbow beyond the 15 degrees allowed under ICC regulations.

Cricket South Africa chief executive, Gerald Majola, was optimistic about Botha’s future, despite this setback: “We will do all in our power now to assist him to correct his action so that he can continue his promising career, we will ask the Sports Medical and Science Institute in Cape Town to analyse the ICC’s findings and assist Johan to remedy his action. He will then be tested again, and we hope to have him in action as soon as possible.”

Botha can appeal within days, but assuming he does not, he cannot bowl until his action is cleared. He will need to undergo remedial work on his action, and undergo further tests. If he is found to have an illegal action within 24 months of his return he will automatically be suspended for a year, as in the recent case of Shabbir Ahmed.