Whether of course Law 24, note two (fair delivery the arm) will even get a cursory glance by the umpires or the International Cricket Council’s technical committee is another matter. In fact, the way the number of assegai throwers have emerged in the game in recent years is cause for some alarm. No doubt the Australians will sneer at such suggestions about Lee’s dubious action. The way he attempted to spear Sri Lankan tailender Dilhara Fernando with a couple of bouncers was an interesting exercise. He became quite petulant as well when the third umpire, Brian Jerling, correctly saw the attempt to burgle Aravinda de Silva’s wicket as a ball which the batsman had hit into the turf. Perhaps it was an attempted retribution after De Silva was dropped before he put a run on the board.No matter, the bad-tempered tactics employed by Lee when the two umpires, David Shepherd and Brent Bowden, conferred and referred to Jerling to see whether it was a fair catch even had century-maker and man of the match, Ricky Ponting, gesticulating at Shepherd. Whether he laughed this off is another matter as the way he cautioned Waqar Younis at the Wanderers in the game against Australia last month showed that he is not one to be intimidated.Ponting’s pantomime was just another of the ugly Australian tactics and as with Lee’s action, just as questionable. They were a more disciplined side in the field under Steve Waugh and it showed. There is a certain roughhouse, kick the opponent when he is down syndrome about the current Australian side and their supporters revel in the open aggressive chauvinism which marks their current gameplan.
