SL vs NZ: Kane Williamson and Akila Dananjaya Reported with a Suspect Bowling Action

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya have been reported for suspect bowling action, after the first Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, which was held in Galle from August 14-18. The report of the match officials’ which was handed over to both the team management, cited concerns about the legality of both the players’ bowling actions.

Both Kane Williamson and Akila Dananjaya will now have to undergo testing within 14 days from the reporting date, that is August 18. However, both the players will be allowed to continue bowling until the results of the tests come. Akila Dananjaya played a key role in Sri Lanka’s win in the first Test where he picked up a fifer in the first innings. On the other hand, Kane Williamson bowled only three overs of his part-time off-break.

Williamson has 29 Test wickets in his name in 73 matches whereas the 25-year-old Dananjaya has played just six Tests so far and took 33 wickets at an impressive average of 24.81. However, both of them have been called for illegal bowling action in their early careers as well. Kane Williamson was banned in July 2014 while Dananjaya in December 2018.

However, according to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rules, illegal bowling action states, “An Illegal Bowling Action is a bowling action where the Player’s Elbow Extension exceeds 15 degrees, measured using the Standard Analysis Protocols from the point at which the bowling arm reaches the horizontal until the point at which the ball is released. Any Elbow Hyperextension shall be discounted for the purposes of determining an Illegal Bowling Action.”

The first Test went to Sri Lanka’s name where they won by 6 wickets. For New Zealand, Ross Taylor scored 86 and Henry Nicholls scored 42 in the first innings and they were bundled out within 249 on the back of a fifer of Akila Dananjaya and a four-wicket haul of Suranga Lakmal.

Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella scored the fifties and put up 267 where Ajaz Patel took a fifer for New Zealand. However, a century from Dimuth Karunaratne and a well-made 64 by Lahiru Thirimanne sealed the deal for Sri Lanka at Galle.