Narine banned from bowling regular off-spin

Kolkata Knight Riders and West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has been banned from bowling his regular off-spin deliveries, after testing showed his action still breached the 15 degrees of elbow flex rules.

Narine was reported last week for chucking, and had to undergo ICC testing again, just weeks after being cleared. The results showed that he could not bowl his regular spin, but was allowed to bowl his knuckle ball and quicker straight one.

A release from the BCCI read: "Following the provisions of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the committee has concluded that Mr. Narine’s bowling action for his off-spinner, contravenes Law 24.2 (as read with Law 24.3) of the Laws of Cricket.

"The player is now banned from bowling the off-spinner in matches organised by the BCCI, including the IPL. He may however continue to bowl his other deliveries (the knuckle ball and the quicker straight ball).

"If Mr. Narine were to again bowl the off-spinner in this season’s IPL, the on-field umpires would apply Law 24.2 and call 'No ball' and, at the end of the match, would issue a further Report. Pursuant to clause 3.4 of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the player would in such circumstances automatically be suspended from bowling in BCCI-organised matches."

If Narine is picked for Kolkata, and reported a second time, he will be banned from playing, and that suspension could carry over into international games, as announced by the ICC recently.

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