Council clarifies Muralitharan case

South African match referee Peter van der Merwe had clearly said on ABC Radio on Friday he was concerned over Muralitharan's action.

The ICC said in a statement that public comment about any player's action by an umpire or referee could not be allowed until an investigation had taken place and van der Merwe was told to make no further comment.

The Council said Muralitharan was not the subject of an investigation.

But if there was uncertainty about a bowler's action, the referee should request the home board to instruct the official television network to discreetly obtain footage of the player from different angles using a mix of normal speed and slow-motion cameras.

The resulting video is then sent to the ICC's nine-man advisory panel on illegal deliveries, led by the chairman of the cricket committee, Sir Clyde Walcott.

That panel will reach a decision on whether there is a problem with the player's action. If so, the player's board will be requested to withdraw him from international cricket and have him undergo remedial action.

``It is ICC policy not to reveal the name of any player going through this process, as that may be prejudicial to his public image and to the assessment of him by umpires in subsequent matches,'' the statement said.

``Notwithstanding this policy, it is public knowledge that Muttiah Muralitharan's action was referred to the panel in late 1997. At that time, the panel determined on the video evidence available to them that his action was fair.''