'It never goes away': Botha discusses Kuhnemann's bowling action concerns

Brisbane, Feb 13 (NationPress) Former South Africa offspinner and current Queensland and Brisbane Heat coach Johan Botha stated that Matthew Kuhnemann will forever bear the burden of having his bowling action flagged, no matter the result of his forthcoming testing in the following weeks.

Kuhnemann, who plays under Botha at the Heat, was flagged for a suspected illegal bowling action during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Botha remarked that it's a lengthy journey for Kuhnemann to clear his name, and even if he is vindicated, the label will always remain.

"It is a long process, and unfortunately, whether cleared or not, it will always linger. People think it's a one-time incident and can be forgotten, but that's not the reality. It's a complex journey. For now, he must bowl at a similar speed and revolutions as he did in the Tests. Nothing can change at this stage.

"He must demonstrate his innocence, and if it turns out to be just over 15 degrees, he will have significant work ahead, initiating a prolonged process. It never disappears because there’s always someone in the audience, an opponent, or a match referee wanting to comment or involve themselves.

"Sadly, this will be part of his reality now. It's never the player who concedes 0 for 100; it's those who take wickets and influence matches. They are the ones under scrutiny. Observers want to analyze and find faults," he added.

Kuhnemann has never had his action flagged throughout his eight-year professional career, including during his ODI debut for Australia in Sri Lanka in 2022 and his Test debut, along with the three Tests he participated in during the 2023 tour of India.

Botha also proposed that fatigue might have contributed to his action being questioned towards the end of the second Test.

"He bowled an extensive number of deliveries in the Test series. As fatigue sets in, your action comes under strain," Botha explained. "I know he enjoys bowling. He bowled extensively during the Big Bash. He even went to Australia training when they were at Gabba during the Big Bash.

"I’d be curious to know when the umpires or the match referee perceived it wasn’t as clean as they desired. I would speculate it could have been later in the match. When players start to tire, and the ball is older and softer, they need to generate additional pace. With a new ball, it naturally comes off the pitch faster, so there's no need to force it as much," Botha stated.

Kuhnemann will now face independent testing at an ICC-accredited facility, likely in Brisbane. Bowlers are permitted an elbow flex of up to 15 degrees during their bowling action; anything exceeding that is deemed illegal.

While undergoing testing, Kuhnemann can still participate in Sheffield Shield or Dean Jones Trophy matches (Australia's domestic 50-over games), but he is barred from playing in international matches during this period. He did not compete in Tasmania's 50-over match against Victoria on Thursday.