Narine's bowling action illegal

The International Cricket Council today confirmed that an independent assessment has found the bowling action of West Indies Sunil Narine to be illegal and, as such, the off-spinner has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.

In accordance with Article 6.1 of the regulations, Narine's international suspension will also be recognised and enforced by all National Cricket Federations within domestic cricket events played in their own jurisdiction, save that, with the consent of the West Indies Cricket Board, Narine may be able to play in domestic cricket events played under the auspices of the West Indies Cricket Board.

The assessment revealed that all variations of his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations.

Narine was reported after the third ODI match against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in November.

A player can apply for a re-assessment after modifying his bowling action in accordance with clause 2.4 of the Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions.

The test was performed on Tuesday, 17 November at the ICC's accredited testing centre in Loughborough University.

Umpires reported Narine for his bowling action for the first time during last year's Champions League, an Indian Twenty20 tournament. He then withdrew from the 2015 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand.

In June 2014 the ICC launched a world-wide crackdown on bowlers with bowling actions suspected of being illegal.

So far Sri Lanka's Sachitra Senanayake, New Zealand's Kane Williamson, Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez, Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya and Malcolm Waller and Bangladesh's Sohag Gazi, West Indies' Shane Shillingford and Marlon Samuels were among a dozen bowlers whose action were deemed illegal.

Narine has played six Tests, 55 one-day and 34 Twenty20 internationals.