Harbhajan to get Surrey's backing

14 April 2012

Surrey have pledged to stand by their decision to sign Harbhajan Singh, even though the Indian spinner's bowling action is again under the microscope.

Harbhajan, who has agreed a one-year deal to play for the former county champions and is due to arrive at The Oval in early May, could be suspended from international cricket or banned from using his controversial 'doosra' delivery.

And any penalty imposed by the International Cricket Council seems certain to apply in the English domestic game as well.

However, Surrey coach Steve Rixon said yesterday: "Harbhajan is still a top-quality bowler.

"It doesn't change our decision, but we will of course be monitoring the situation over the coming weeks."

The 24-year-old off-spinner took two wickets in each innings to help India to beat Pakistan by 195 runs in the Second Test in Calcutta at the weekend but he was then reported by all three umpires involved in the match and by referee Chris Broad.

Their concerns related specifically to Harbhajan's doosra, the delivery that spins away from a right-handed batsmanand surfaced only during Pakistan's-second innings. "It was noticeable to the umpires and me that there was an apparent change in action when bowling this delivery between the first innings of the match, when no concerns were raised, and the second, which then prompted the report to be made," said the former England batsman Broad.

Harbhajan, who was also reported by Broad during a Test in Bangladesh in December, now becomes the first player to be dealt with under the ICC's new regulation that allows bowlers to straighten their arms by up to 15 degrees.

He will be biomechanically tested by one of the ICC's independent human movement specialists within the next three weeks to see whether he is within the 15-degree tolerance level when bowling the doosra.

If found guilty, the spinner will either be suspended from international cricket or, more likely, banned from using his 'special' ball.

The England Cricket Board are expected to change their regulations before the new season starts next month so that any ICC suspension or ban applies domestically here as well. Harbhajan, however, is adamant that he will be cleared. "I just can't seem to figure out what the ICC is doing," the spinner said. "I was sent to Australia as per their directive [after he was reported by Broad in Bangladesh] and was examined and cleared by the ICC's own specialist.

"I do not have a suspect action. If they want to test me again and again they are most welcome."

Despite sounding confident, however, Harbhajan must be concerned that his doosra could be banned.

It is a type of delivery made famous - or infamous - by Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan and one which every off-spinner with international ambitions tries to copy.

Murali, though, also walks a tightrope every time he bowls the doosra, having himself been reported in the past by referee Broad.

As for Harbhajan, he was determined to use his 'secret' weapon during the Calcutta match, even though it was his first Test back since being reported in Bangladesh.

"I will certainly bowl the delivery in Calcutta," he said last week. "It's a wicket-taking ball. I get many of my wickets with it and I aim to bowl it at least every two overs."

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