List of cricketers called for throwing in top-class cricket matches in Australia
This is a list of cricketers called for throwing in top-class cricket matches in Australia. In the sport of cricket, strict rules govern the method of bowling the ball. The rules relate to the bending of the arm at the elbow, the extent of which has always been open to interpretation by the umpires. More recently, the International Cricket Council has attempted to codify the maximum permissible flexing of the elbow as 15 degrees.
When a player is found by the umpire to have delivered the ball contrary to those rules, the umpire will call a no-ball and he is said to have been called for throwing. Where public opinion is that a player's bowling action appears to be that he routinely throws, he is said to have a 'suspect' or an 'illegal' action, or more derogatorily, is said to be a 'chucker'. The issue is often highly emotive with accusers considering that deliveries with an illegal action are akin to cheating.
Over the years, a number of players have been called in top-class matches — Test matches, One Day Internationals and domestic first-class matches — invariably creating controversy and occasionally destroying cricket careers. Often the player has been able to modify his action to appease his critics and the umpires, but more commonly, especially when the bowler has been called on more than one occasion, his career in international cricket is effectively ended.
List of players called for throwing
Player | Date | Team | Opposing team | Umpire |
30 March 1872 | Victoria | New South Wales | A. Sellars | |
26 December 1872 | NSW, Tasmania, SA XIII | Victoria | George Curtis | |
28 December 1872 | Victoria | NSW, Tasmania, SA XIII | George Curtis | |
14 March 1873 | Victoria | Tasmania | William Sidebottom | |
30 October 1897 | South Australia | Andrew Stoddart's XI | Jim Phillips | |
4 January 1898 | Australia | England | Jim Phillips | |
27 December 1900 | New South Wales | Victoria | Bob Crockett | |
1 February 1901 | New South Wales | Victoria | Bob Crockett | |
4 February 1901 | New South Wales | Victoria | Bob Crockett | |
3 February 1911 | Victoria | South Africa | Bob Crockett | |
4 February 1911 | Victoria | South Africa | W. A. Young | |
7 November 1914 | New South Wales | Queensland | unknown | |
17 January 1930 | Western Australia | Victoria | Andrew Barlow | |
24 January 1930 | Western Australia | Tasmania | A. J. Buttsworth | |
25 January 1930 | Western Australia | Tasmania | Walter Lonergan | |
26 January 1931 | Tasmania | Victoria | unknown | |
18 December 1931 | Queensland | Victoria | Andrew Barlow | |
13 November 1936 | South Australia | Victoria | Andrew Barlow | |
7 March 1939 | Western Australia | Victoria | Frederick Buttsworth | |
14 December 1940 | South Australia | Victoria | Andrew Barlow | |
17 February 1951 | Western Australia | Victoria | Andrew Barlow | |
2 January 1960 | Queensland | New South Wales | Jim Bowden | |
4 November 1960 | South Australia | Victoria | Col Egar | |
3 March 1962 | South Australia | New Zealand | Col Egar | |
11 January 1963 | Victoria | South Australia | Jack Kierse | |
4 March 1963 | Victoria | Queensland | Bill Priem | |
7 December 1963 | Australia | South Africa | Col Egar | |
13 November 1964 | Victoria | South Australia | Col Egar | |
13 November 1964 | Victoria | South Australia | Jack Ryan | |
16 November 1964 | Western Australia | New South Wales | Ted Wykes | |
24 November 1967 | Queensland | New South Wales | Ted Wykes | |
26 December 1995 | Sri Lanka | Australia | Darrell Hair | |
5 January 1996 | Sri Lanka | West Indies | Ross Emerson Tony McQuillan | |
1 November 1997 | Queensland | Victoria | Ross Emerson | |
11 February 1998 | Queensland | Tasmania | Ross Emerson | |
23 January 1999 | Sri Lanka | England | Ross Emerson |