ICC are 20 years too late in executing a clampdown on suspected chuckers: Holding

Former West Indies great Michael Holding is happy that ICC is finally coming down hard on bowlers with suspect action but he feels that the game’s governing body is “20 years too late” in executing a clampdown on suspected chuckers. “Twenty years too late! We have had a lot chuckers in the game. What the ICC are doing now is the way ahead. Get them to straight their arms or leave the game,” Holding told PTI during an interaction recently. [caption id=“attachment_1771247” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Michael Holding. Getty[/caption] “You comeback with a proper action and nobody can then prevent you from bowling. I am not calling any names though. There have been a lot of chuckers and what the ICC is doing now is the right thing,” said the the man, who had taken 249 wickets in 60 Test matches during the golden era of West Indian cricket. But Holding is convinced that ICC is a powerless organization and when asked if he would suggest some measures to the governing body, he replied in negative. “Why do I say anything to the ICC. They have no strength, no power. I don’t interfere with what is happening with ICC. I leave them alone.” Holding’s aversion for ICC comes from the fact that they have not walked the talk when it came to promotion of Test cricket. “A lot of talk and no action. A lot of lip service is being given to Test cricket. And that is where it ends. Not just India, a lot of officials all over the world do a lot of talking and that is all they do. PTI