Samuels cleared to bowl again

West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been cleared to resume bowling in international cricket by the ICC. Samuels was banned from bowling at the international level for 12 months in December 2015, after his action was found to be illegal for a second time in 24 months.

The off-spinner’s action could be reassessed by the ICC only after the 12-month period ended, and Samuels underwent tests on January 29 at the ICC-accredited testing centre in Loughborough. According to an ICC release, the tests revealed the elbow flex for his off-spin deliveries was within the permitted 15-degree limit.

If the umpires find issues with his action going forward, they can report him again, and then he will require further analysis of his action by the ICC. Umpires will be provided with images and video footage of his reworked bowling action, the ICC said, to help them judge his action in games.

Samuels was reported during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in October 2015, and subsequent tests revealed he was breaching the 15-degree limit. That was the third time Samuels’ action had been reported; the first instance was in 2008, when he was called for a suspect faster ball after the third Test against South Africa in Durban.

He was later suspended from bowling in international cricket but after remedial work on his action, was permitted to bowl in September 2011. Then, once again, he was reported during the Mumbai Test against India in November 2013. Following tests, he was allowed to bowl the off-break delivery but not his quicker ball.

Samuels last played for West Indies against Pakistan on the tour of the UAE in September-November 2016. He was left out of the squad for the tri-series in Zimbabwe that followed. West Indies’ next assignment is the home ODI series against England, starting from March 3. (ESPNCricinfo)