By Scott Bailey
Australian spinner Matt Kuhnemann has completed the tests on his bowling action under the watchful eye of International Cricket Council experts, and expects to learn next week if he will be allowed to continue his Test career.
The 28-year-old was put through his paces for more than an hour in Brisbane at the weekend after match officials raised suspicions about his bowling action a week earlier as he took seven wickets in Australia’s second Test win in Galle.
Matthew Kuhnemann in action in Sri Lanka.Credit: Getty Images
ICC officials observed Kuhnemann submit to the testing at the National Cricket Centre, where he was asked to bowl at a similar speed and with similar revolutions to what he did in Galle.
He had to wear markers on his body and was surrounded by several high-speed cameras, and a 3D motion-analysis system.
The results of those tests will be assessed over the next week, before a determination is made by the ICC on Kuhnemann’s action.
If he is found to extend his elbow by more than 15 degrees on his stock ball, Kuhnemann will be banned from bowling until he can prove he has remedied the issue.
Otherwise, the spinner will be cleared to continue bowling for Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield and be available for Australia’s tour of West Indies in June.
The 28-year-old is said to be dealing well with the situation, and confident he will be cleared.
Cricket Australia provided an update on the testing of Kuhnemann on Wednesday.
“Matthew has completed the assessment which was performed at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane,” CA said in a statement.
“The ICC will make a determination in due course. Neither Cricket Australia nor Matthew will be making any public comment at this time.”
The ICC powers include the authority to determine if a bowler’s action is only problematic on certain types of deliveries.
In that case, a player would be able to continue bowling in matches without those variations until cleared.
Australia’s players are no stranger to biomechanical testing, with high-performance staff often using the same facilities to help streamline or improve the bowling actions of quicks.
Matt Kuhnemann takes a wicket in Sri Lanka.Credit: Channel Seven
Kuhnemann’s test came after he was put on ice for Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia this week, still battling the thumb injury he suffered in the BBL.
He was, however, still able to get through the ICC testing given the injury is on his non-bowling hand.
Kuhnemann also played through the pain to be the leading wicket-taker of the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy with 16 scalps at 17.18 in the two Tests in Sri Lanka.
It was after the second Test that Kuhnemann was told his action had been reported, for the first time in eight years of professional cricket.
Australia’s players have backed Kuhnemann in the bid to have his action cleared, with stand-in captain Steve Smith expecting him to have no issue.
“It’s come as a bit of a surprise to me,” Smith, who captained Australia against Sri Lanka, said last Friday.
“He has been playing for eight years in professional cricket and nothing has been said in that amount of time.
“I am thinking of him, at present, he has to go through the process.
“We’re confident he will pass. He will go through that process back home, we wish him all the best.”
AAP
