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Chucking laws under ICC review

International Cricket Council chief executive David Richards said Sunday the process of dealing with illegal bowling action was under review.

"The process is under total review and will be discussed in the June meeting of the ICC but I can assure everyone there is no bias," Richards said.

Richards is in Pakistan for talks with cricket officials on several issues including the controversial case of pacer Shoaib Akhtar, which triggered resentment in the sub-continent.

Akhtar, dubbed the Rawalpindi Express, was banned after his bowling action was questioned in Australia last year but was subsequently allowed to play in the tri-series in Australia in February.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) secretary Shafqat Rana described Akhtar's ban as "racially motivated."

Richards denied there were any complaints about Australian rookie pacer Brett Lee's action.

Richards said there was no ambiguity in the ICC's decision on Akhtar in Singapore earlier this month.

"Now it's for the PCB to decide on Akhtar and he can play if the Pakistan Board feels satisfied about the work done on his action," said Richards, an Australian who has held the post for six and half years.

ICC barred its nine-member technical committee from banning players on February 9 this year.

"The powers have been withdrawn for the time being and not taken away for ever," Richards said. However, he admitted the decision of banning the bowlers had proved "unwise."

"It's unfair on the bowlers under scrutiny once the matter goes in the public domain," Richards said.

Former Pakistan captains Imran Khan and Javed Miandad called upon the ICC to review the law and termed it as "faulty."

On another issue, Richards said a suggestion for worldwide standardization of pitches needed a lot of time to achieve. "The climatic conditions and soil conditions vary and on a worldwide basis standardization of pitches needs a lot of work," he said.

The ICC chief executive said Bangladesh's demand for Test status can be reviewed in June at the annual meeting. "Their application is on the table but I suspect they would like to get voting on that this year," he said.

Richards said the ICC's three-member committee made up of New Zealand's Graham Dowling, Pakistan's Nasim-ul-Ghani and Zimbabwean Andy Pycroft visited Bangladesh and gave a positive report about conditions there.

He added that the ICC's efforts to globalize cricket were bearing fruits. "Cricket is flourishing in Far East Asia and especially Nepal and the Gulf."