Shoaib may miss tri-series

The report apparently includes comments from Australian umpires Darrell Hair and Peter Wiley, as the letter said: “Not every delivery is affected but all three oficials were concerned about the straightening of Shoaib’s arm immediately before a bouncer or an extra-fast delivery was bowled,” The News said. Hitchkok confirmed ICC had received videofootage of the deliveries in question. The letter has put Pakistani selectors in a dilemma before they pick the team for the limited-overs series beginning on January 9, and Shoaib was likely to be dropped to avoid further controversy, the paper said.

WAUGH BLAST: Australian captain Steve Waugh took a hefty swipe at cricket administrators in Adelaide today, over their inaction on bowlers with suspect actions.

He was responding to the latest chucking allegation, made by an unnamed Indian against Australian fast bowler Brett Lee. Reports of the allegation, believed to have been carried initially on the Internet, appeared in Australian newspapers today.

Waugh did not mention the ICC by name, but inferred it (ICC) was not doing enough to clear up the issue. “Blokes who have got question marks over their actions — no one really knows whether they throw them or not, and no one seems to be willing to make a judgement either,” he said.

“So the process just goes round in circles and no one is clear on anything. You are none the wiser,” Waugh said.

“I see him (Lee) as a quality young bowler, and you don’t want to take these guys out of the game. Like Shoaib Akhtar, he is good for the game.”