Image: Matt Kuhnemann faces accusations of throwing his deliveries / © Yahoo News
For the Australian cricketer Matt Kuhnemann, a controversy has erupted after Sri Lanka raised concerns about his bowling action during the recent Test series. Kuhnemann was accused of “throwing”, prompting former Australia captain Tim Paine to comment on the situation. Paine pointed out that Kuhnemann’s action showed some flexion, similar to that of India’s Jasprit Bumrah, but emphasized that such an accusation is very serious as it suggests potential “cheating”. He remarked that the “throwing” allegation would be difficult for Kuhnemann to handle, as it could potentially harm his career.
The accusation came after Kuhnemann was reported for a suspect action during the second match of the ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka in Galle. As a result, he is required to undergo an independent assessment at an ICC-accredited facility to determine the legality of his action. Until the assessment is completed, Kuhnemann is banned from international cricket but is still eligible to play domestic cricket for Tasmania.
Paine criticized the handling of the situation, suggesting that Kuhnemann was an “easy target” and that other cricketers with worse actions in history had not been scrutinized in the same manner.