Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
WI pacer Jermaine Lawson. - DELLMAR
WEST INDIES' fast bowler Jermaine Lawson was prevented from bowling pace for a suspect action again, this time in the local Supreme Ventures Super Cup match on the weekend.
Playing for leaders St. Catherine Cricket Club against host Westmoreland at Allan Rae Oval, Lawson was called by umpire Cecil Fletcher for 'chucking' and ended up bowling off-spin.
Lawson said he was surprised with the umpire's decision:
"After being cleared by the ICC late last year and to go and represent West Indies in Australia, and also Jamaica at the Carib Beer level and then to come into the local league and actually be called for throwing for the first time in my career, it's a bit disappointing," Lawson said on a local radio programme.
Lawson said umpire Fletcher did not call him when he was standing at square leg and that what surprised him.
"What surprises me is that when I was at his end that was when I was called for no-ball. I thought I was being called for over-stepping. I saw he was signalling to the square leg umpire, then I realised it wasn't for over-stepping.
After the over I went to the captain and told him that I did not want to continue anymore," added Lawson, who said he has done enough to prove that he is not 'throwing'.
Under ICC rules, an umpire can not call a bowler for throwing, but this according to Norman Malcolm, president of the Jamaica Cricket Umpires, Association (JCUA), "... that only applies to ICC-related matches.
"In our local competition, if an umpire feels a bowler in throwing, he can call him (for throwing)," Malcolm said.
Chief Operations Officer of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), Brian Breese, says the incident was brought to his attention and will be dealt with as soon as possible.
"We are going to refer it to the umpires' sub-committee, which JCA president Jackie Hendriks is a part of," said Breese.
Breese said Hendriks is off the island and as soon as he returns, the matter, among three others, will be dealt with.
The committee, which has Justice Howard Cooke jr. as its chairman, dealt with 11 reports of 'throwing' last season.
Lawson, who was reported for 'throwing' for the second time in his Test career last summer during West Indies' tour of Sri Lanka, was later cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
This was done after a visit to London for an ICC-mandated independent analysis of his action by
British bio-mechanics expert Dr. Paul Hurrion.
Dr. Hurrion was the person who assessed Lawson two years ago when he was first reported for 'throwing' against Australia.
In the Australia Test match in Antigua of the 2003-04 series, Lawson, 21, was first reported by umpires David Shepherd and Srinivas Venkataraghavan after reviewing footage of his action on the first day. Lawson bowled with pace and aggression while taking seven wickets for 78 runs.
During this time, Lawson went through a series of bowling rehabilitation and remedial work both locally and overseas for almost one year.
Lawson, who last played for the West Indies on its tour of Australia in November last year, questioned the umpire's judgement of the ICC allowed 15 degree.
"I went to Australia and got cleared. Then I went to Sri Lanka and worked on my action again. I then went to England and also did a test again with my action," he said.
Apart from that, there was another unusual incident which took place at the match. Following a break after tea, the St. Catherine players all returned to the field with their lips bound with tape.
The Gleaner learnt that the players were protesting because they thought the umpires were turning down their appeals unfairly.
However, St. Catherine's C.C. coach, Ephraim McLeod, said the players taped up their mouths to avoid chatting and carry-on with the game.
"We told them they must shut up their mouths and go and play the cricket ... they were complaining and taking about what was going on on the field, and one player said 'di coach a tell wi fi tape up wi mouth and what happen'."
Due to this action, St. Catherine C.C. were reported to the JCA by the umpires for bringing the game into disrepute and according to McLeod, this was all "because we taped up mouths".
Breese said he got the umpire's report yesterday's morning.
"It could be construed as bringing the game into disrepute," Breese said.
He said with the umpire's report in now, St. Catherine CC will have to submit a report and then the JCA's Complaints Committee with look into the matter.
