Lehmann backs ICC stance on illegal actions

darrenlehmann

In the last few months, a number of players have been reported to the ICC by match officials, with Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal the most high-profile case.

Ajmal has been banned from bowling in international cricket by the governing body after tests found his bowling arm to "exceed the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations".

New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake have also been suspended, and Lehmann has voiced his support for the ICC's approach.

"The ICC have obviously decided to have a crackdown on it and that's good for the game," he told radio channel Fiveaa.

"We've got to make sure that area is right. If you're within the rules then fine, if you're not, then you've got to be looked at.

"That's what they have decided to do. They have had a real crackdown on four or five players of late so what that tells coaches and players, and everyone coming through the game and the young guys, is you won't be able to do any of that moving forward."

Lehmann also played down talk of a rift between himself and captain Michael Clarke after the skipper questioned the selectors' decision to leave out Steve Smith for a recent one-day international with Zimbabwe, which Australia lost.

"[There's] nothing," he said. "He said something, I said something. That's what happened.

"Clarke and I laughed about that last couple of days, it's been quite interesting. No issues whatsoever. We deal with those issues straightaway and move on.

"Captains will be disappointed when they lose, as they should be, and as we want him to be. We were disappointed and that's the way it goes sometimes.

"You are allowed to make mistakes. There are no issues from Michael's end, or my end or anyone's end. It's been out more in the media."

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