Inverarity says teaching dubious ‘doosras’ to young spinners threat to CA’s integrity

Sydney: Chairman of selectors John Inverarity has claimed teaching young spin bowlers the art of bowling the unconventional delivery doosra would be a threat to Australian cricket’s integrity.

The doosra, which turns from leg to off with an off spinner`s action, has been a key weapon for leading slow bowlers in Test cricket, such as Sri Lanka`s retired world-record holder Muttiah Muralidaran, countryman Ajantha Mendis, India`s Harbhajan Singh, Pakistan`s Saeed Ajmal and West Indian Sunil Narine. Muralitharan, whose doosra has provoked massive controversy in recent years over the legality of his action, said last month in an interview that he felt Australia`s coaching system was too closely controlled and it drained the creativity out of young spinners, but Inverarity is advocating caution. “That`s a question of integrity for Cricket Australia. If you`re going to bowl a doosra, that`s how you do it,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Inverarity, as saying when asked if bowling doosra was a part of chucking. “It`s a serious issue. We`ve got to keep our integrity. We`ve got to teach our bowlers to bowl properly,” he added. “I`m all for them learning it but it has got to be within the rules, for the integrity of the game and Australia``s cricket heritage,” he said. Inverarity added: “We should always run a measure over them to make sure they`re bowling legitimately (according to the 15-degree threshold rule for elbow flexion).” Inverarity also admitted Australia`s spin-bowling stocks are low, with Test off spinner Nathan Lyon set to be named on Monday in the squad for the November 9 first Test against South Africa at the Gabba after Jon Holland was ruled out of the summer with a surgery. ANI