Beaton suspended from bowling in international cricket

– GCB ready to pave way for rehabilitation, says Sanasie

By Akeem Greene

Windies’ Ronsford Beaton failed an independent assessment which resulted in him being suspended from bowling in international cricket.
The fast bowler had been reported with a suspect bowling action during the second One-Day International against New Zealand in Christchurch on December 24, 2017.
According to an International Cricket Council (ICC) release on Tuesday, which stated “in accordance with the Regulations, Beaton’s international suspension will also be recognised and enforced by all National Cricket Federations for domestic cricket events played in their own jurisdiction”.

However, with the consent of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Beaton may be able to play in domestic cricket events played in the Caribbean under the auspices of the country’s cricket board.
“The player can apply for a reassessment after modifying his bowling action in accordance with clause 4.5 of the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations”.
In an invited comment, CWI Director and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie told <<Guyana Times Sport>> that from the level of the GCB, they would be exploring options of assisting the promising fast bowler to be rehabilitated.
“Yes, we will. We are in the process of discussing with the West Indies cricket board the process moving forward; the West Indies cricket board has an established process with assisting such individuals in the rehabilitations,” Sanasie conveyed.
CWI also gave an update in which it stated that Beaton would “therefore join the fast bowling camp, now on in Antigua as part of his remedial programme; following which he will undergo a reassessment process, which if successful, he will be allowed to participate at the international level.”
CWI Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams said: “We are fully committed to working with Ronsford during this period of remedial work, which will hopefully accelerate his successful readmission to the professional game.”

Dropping the ball
Pundits of the sport had suggested various rationales for Beaton’s action when it was first reported. Many felt it was “the system who had failed him” by not noticing the irregularities sooner, given the scope of cricket he played.
Beaton played for West Indies Under-19s and West Indies A, and was also called up for the Afghanistan Twenty20s earlier in 2017, although he failed to play a match.
Most notably, former captain, Sir Vivian Richards, had vented that someone in the current Windies set-up should have picked up on the fast bowler’s suspect action before he reached the international level.
In response, Sanasie stated, “I would not like to comment on that, because I am not technically qualified to identify people with such actions. I know he has been playing throughout in our territory and he has to be reported before such action can be taken.”
He added, “To the best of my knowledge, only when he was an Under-19 cricketer there was some sort of report and that was dealt with, because he went to testing in Australia which he passed.”
On the flip side of the news, the Guyanese bowler’s suspension came on the same day that the ICC confirmed Pakistan off-spinner  Mohammed Hafeez was allowed to resume bowling following a re-assessment.