
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that an ICC Analysis has found the bowling action of Hong Kong’s Moner Ahmed to be illegal and, as such, the player has been suspended from bowling in international cricket for a period of 12 months.
The ICC Analysis revealed that the amount of elbow extension in Moner’s bowling action across all deliveries (stock delivery, quicker delivery and arm ball) exceeded the 15 degrees’ level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions. As a result, he is immediately suspended from bowling in international cricket.
The ICC Analysis was performed by Associate Professor Jacque Alderson and her team at the School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia in Perth on 19 December 2013.
Moner was reported twice during the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2013; firstly on 15 Novemberfollowing a group match against Italy, and then on 28 November following a play-off match against Papua New Guinea.
Moner was first reported by umpires C. Shamsuddin, Michael Gough Ian Ramage and match referee Dev Govindjee, and was required to submit to a Home Board Analysis, which concluded that he employed a legal bowling action.
As such, Moner was permitted to continue bowling in international cricket.
However, any subsequent report within a period of two years of the date of a first report requires a bowler to submit to an ICC Analysis, and Moner was reported a second time by umpires Michael Gough, S. Ravi, Adrian Holdstock, John Ward and match referee Graeme La Brooy.
As a result, Moner was required to submit to an ICC Analysis.
Where an ICC Analysis concludes that a player employs an illegal bowling action, the player is immediately suspended from bowling in any international cricket for a period of 12 months.
Details of the ICC Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions can be found here.