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International cricket could face another crisis over the vexed question of throwing if Shoaib Ahktar is again reported by officials because of doubts over his action.

Questions were raised about the Pakistani fast bowler's obviously dubious delivery on television commentary and among former players and other viewers in the Caribbean during his five wickets devastation of the West Indies in their 170-runs defeat in the first Test here on Monday.

But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is adamant he should be cleared by the International Cricket Conference (ICC) on the advice of a report from the University of Western Australia's department of human movement and exercise science last year.

According to the PCB, the report stated that Shoaib was born with an "abnormal" bowling arm that will always give the impression of an unorthodox positionduring delivery.

"No amount of practice or technique training can modify these two anatomical characteristics", the report noted, adding that Shoaib "should be permitted to bowl for Pakistan without further concern as to his action".

Shoaib, 25, first attracted international attention with his pace and personality at the 1999 World Cup in England when he was dubbed "The Rawalpindi Express", a reference to the city of his birth in Pakistan.

He has had problems with his action, discipline and injury in the intervening years, all of which have led to his spasmodic appearances for Pakistan.

He was suspended by a now-disbanded ICC panel on suspect bowling actions in 2000 to allow time for him to correct his problem.

He has been since twice referred to its successor body, the bowling review group, by unconvinced umpires and match referees. A third report would mean automatic suspension for a year.

Shoaib only returned to international cricket from injury last month in the series in Bangladesh after a break of a year. The first Test here was his third since he came back.

The PCB has already circulated the University of Western Australia's report to the ICC panel of umpires and match referees.

It will further press its case that Shoaib should be cleared once and for all at the ICC's executive board meeting in New Zealand in March.

The PCB turned down the ICC's offer to have former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding correct flaws in Shoaib's delivery after the most recent report from wary umpires. Its chairman, Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia said publicly the PCB would support Shoaib if he sued the ICC over the issue.

The same university, as well as the University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong, similarly cleared the action of Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan after he had been called for throwing by Australian umpires Darrel Hair in 1995 and Ross Emerson and Tony Macquillan four years later.

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, rated the present game's fastest bowler along with Shoaib, also had his action passed after computer examination by the University of Western Australia.

Former Indian left-arm spinner Bishen Bedi reopened the controversy over Muralitharan's action last weekend, comparing it to a javelin thrower's.

Pakistani officials and players privately accuse the ICC of double standards in clearing Muralitharan and Lee while allowing a shadow to hang over Shoaib.

However, the doubts have not arisen without good reason as the television replays during the Test here clearly showed.

The pertinent law in the version revised in 2000 is law 24.3. It states: A ball is fairly delivered in respect of the arm if, once the bowler's arm has reached the shoulder in the delivery swing, the elbow joint is not straightened partially or completely from that point until the ball has left the hand. This definition shall not debar a bowler from flexing or rotating the wrist in the delivery swing.

Holding, now a respected international television commentator, noted during Shoaib's spell on Monday that there was "a definite kink" in his elbow after it passed shoulder height and before straightening on delivery.

© The Barbados Nation