With Australian left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann being reported for a suspect action post Australia’s 2-0 win in the two-Test series in Sri Lanka, the Queensland cricketer finds himself among a list of bowlers having to undergo independent testing for his action and being out of international cricket till his action is not cleared. 28-year-old Kuhnemann was the leading wicket-taker with a total of 16 wickets for Australia in the two Test series in Sri Lanka and former Australian cricketer Steve O’Keefe has accused Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket of failing to identify the left-arm spinner at an early age.
“He’s played over 100 professional games of cricket in front of match referees in the Big Bash and first-class cricket. He would have trained in front of coaches who would have seen his development over the years. I think it might be hyperextension, and I don’t think he’ll have any issues. In this situation, it can be quite detrimental to the player and the welfare of Matt after a great series in Sri Lanka, he now has to go through this process which is horrible. It’s really cold, you’re on your own, they don’t talk to you, they tape you up and then they test you with these degrees of action. In my opinion, the system has failed and let him down, but I do believe there will be nothing to see here for Matt Kuhnemann … I think he’ll be okay.” O’Keefe told Fox Cricket.
Kuhnemann had made his List A debut in 2017 and played for Australia for the first time in 2022, when he made his ODI debut in Sri Lanka. Since then, the Australian has also made his Test debut against India in 2023 and has played in five Test matches and four ODIs in his career. Kuhnemann will now undergo independent testing at an ICC-Accredited centre likely to be in Brisbane as reported by Australian media. Queensland coach and Big Bash team Brisbane Heat coach Johan Botha, who himself was reported for a suspect bowling action multiple times during his playing career, believes it will be a long process for Kuhnemann.
“It is a long process and unfortunately either way if you get cleared or not it will always be there. “Guys think it’s a one-off and you get rid of it. That is not how it is. It is a bit of a process. For now he will have to bowl at a very similar speed and revolutions as he did in the Tests. Nothing gets changed now. He needs to try and prove himself not guilty and from there on if it is a ball or so over 15 degrees he will obviously have some work to do, then a long process starts. It never goes away because there is always someone in the crowd, someone in the opposition, or a match referee who wants to have a say or wants to feel a part of it.” Botha told SEN Cricket.
According to reports, some Sri Lanka batsmen had raised their concerns over Kuhnemann action prior to the second Test too. It was only after the second test that match officials reported Kuhnemann’s action. Former Australian spinner Xavier Doherty has raised questions over the timing of the reporting of the spinner’s action.
“He’s been to India which is a massive tour with huge media interest. He’s been cleared there. He’s come to Sri Lanka, he’s taken a lot of wickets … which generally goes with the territory of people criticising or calling out your action. The timing is the big question mark for me. What have these guys [the match officials] seen now that we have to have a look at?,” Doherty told ABC Sport.
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