It is that time of year again when the local sports scene is about as boring as some politicians’ promises at election time.

When the heaps of garbage that litter the once admired landscape in and around the capital that also attracted tourists, grow daily with their diseased foul-smelling piles that add to the unsightly and disgusting mess.

It reminds us, Yahaluweni, how it is that time of year when such malfunctioned events are run by a dysfunctional system, and how Sri Lanka rugby goofs are now boasting about their international ranking, which is a serious joke elsewhere. Like the piles of garbage, reading about such mutant rugby admin types, and players, is a tiresome subject. The need is for a serious clean up.

Being reduced to watching the Indian Premier League is one thing, preferable is the series in Dubai where Australia are playing Pakistan. At least this is far more interesting and entertaining and about genuine sport played by real people.

What has been more interesting is a memo from Sri Lanka Cricket media the other day about Pakistan likely to tour Sri Lanka later in the year. It is a reciprocal visit anyway and whether it comes off will be interesting with three Tests and a bunch of slogs and a T20 as well.

If the tour comes off, the tourists can the security arrangements will be of a higher standard than given to the Sri Lankans in Lahore last month. What should be done is for someone in the International Cricket Council to whisper in the ear of Javed Miandad is to shut his stupid mouth.

It had been all too obvious, as pointed out in last week’s files, how security in Pakistan had reached a point where the country was shaky and the stability of the country, the United States felt it created a major concern for the region.

How long did Miandad want before a final decision had to be made to move the planned CWC11 games elsewhere? You cannot plan an event of this nature around maybes. While a brilliant batsman in his day, Miandad, as a coach, was found wanting and his new role within the Pakistan Cricket Board is just as shaky and as flawed as the system. He talks to much about things he should leave to diplomats.

He was one of the Pakistan geeks who made a noise about Chris Broad’s ‘sitting duck’s comments of the horrific Lahore terrorist ambush of 3/3. As Miandad was not in the line of fire, but Pakistan lost six policemen – along with their families – he should have kept quite. But firing from the lip is one of his favourite pastimes.

Possibly similar to the Shane Warne edict when suggesting he had found India a new, highly lethal left-arm fast bowler by the name of Kamran Khan. Expectations were that here would be someone special and longer-term a possible replacement for Zaheer Khan.

After all, this is Shane Warne right. He would know what he is saying. He had been one of the great bowlers of the last century as well as the first decade of this one with his leg-spin. He wouldn’t make such false claims either unless this guy had something special.

Well . . . that had been the scenario presented on the eve of the Indian Premier League with its new refugee status. But what do we get? Why, it is a bowler with a highly suspect action. If umpires can cite Johan Botha over his action, they should have no compunction about citing the Rajasthan Royals left-arm fast bowler Kamran Khan. Sure, he doesn’t throw every delivery, but the question is, what laws do the IPL use?

In the rush for refugee status, which is the result of how narcissistic Lalit Modi’s viewed security reasons in India, he felt it would be in the league’s best interests to eschew massive home-based support. His impetuousness over the security imbroglio he had with the Indian government and security issues added to other administrative concerns.

By making the move across the Indian Ocean, a curious new audience to get the feel of a Bollywood hyped event that is really no more than pure entertainment, he created a problem for the IPL and other factors about the game. Anyway, the term cricket is a mere substitute for such a malformed format of the game.

No matter of course how youngsters become suckered in by the propaganda and the false façade of the T20 image that encourages flawed batting techniques. There are few AB de Villiers in this world who hits the ball so cleanly; look at those who heave wildly across the line, exposing their off-stump.

Let us forget for the moment as well how the PR run-around types (the golaya goofs), helping run this made for television reality roadshow do have a major problem with such matters as South African geography and road signboards.

But goofs (or golayas) of this nature need to be excused. They may even get used to a little Afrikaans as well from the phrase book. Like "Hello. Kan u vir my sê of ons in Pretoria is, of is dit Centurion of Benoni?" (Hello. Can you tell me if this is Pretoria, or Centurion or Benoni?"

But let us return to Warne and Kamran show. Yet, if the umpires do their job, certain suggestions are how the Rajasthan Royals have a bowler in their ranks that needs to be tested in Perth by Dr Bruce Eliott at the Western Australia University.

It is Warne who almost a month ago, claimed how the left-arm Kamran is the new rough diamond in the bowling attack. Initially, he was said to be eighteen and slept many nights on a railway platform, as there was nowhere else to go. He went to a Rajasthan practice where Darren Berry, the former Victorian Assistant Coach, and now director of coaching with the Royals, spotted him.

Warne was all praise for the rookie Kamran whose one over against Cape Cobras in a practice game accounted for Justin Ontong’s wicket with a viciously delivered yorker that had doubts about its legitimacy. Warne also said the team was on the verge of finalising a nickname for Khan, a woodcutter’s son from Azamgarh in North India.

"We’re tossing up now what his nickname is going to be, Wild Thing or Tornado - something like that." Well, maybe ‘Chuck’ is more appropriate.

For those who haven’t yet seen him, Kamran Khan is a left-arm slinger al la Jeff Thomson and Lasith Malinga, and despite being short, can rev it up to a speed in excess of 140 kp/h. But, the action has created a query.

While he may get away with it for a while, it is also highly suspect. Unfortunately, Modi and his IPL cronies may not like such controversies, and may not have in place the mechanism, such as that of the International Cricket Council. This is despite having most members of the elite Test umpires panel standing in games.

Botha, it is said, lost a contract with the Rajasthan Royals after being cited for throwing in Port Elizabeth by umpires Brian Jerling, Rudi Koertzen and Sri Lanka’s Asoka De Silva. What Jerling will make of Kamran is another matter. The action is more similar to that of Sri Lanka Thilina Thusuara, a slinging action. The big difference being that Thushara bowls with a straight arm, whereas Khan bowls with a flexation arm exceeding 15 degree’s.

As a recap, Botha’s action had always been suspect. It was questioned as far back as 2005 when the South African A team toured Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan A Team management along with a third party, the New Zealand A team of Sir Richard Hadlee and Mark O, made cutting comments about it. A report, it had been claimed by Sri Lanka Cricket, was being written by the umpires who took part in the A team "Tests" and limited-over series triangular, and would cover Botha’s action.

Later claims were made that it was being translated into English from Sinhalese. This was the last heard about the report and five months later, it was left to the umpires and match referee Chris Broad to cite Botha on his Test debut in Sydney in New Year Test of January 2006..

Citing bowlers is a new method of dealing with the problem as opposed to that in the past when they were called under the law. Darrell Hair called the last bowler in a Test – Grant Flower in Bulawayo in November 2001 against New Zealand – before the first bowler to be cited was Sri Lankan Ruchia Perera several months later at Lord’s.

The question is, should Kamran Khan’s action be cited, and there are maybe a dozen or more who have raised the issue of whether his action is fair, what next. Would the IPL or Rajasthan Royals be responsible for sending him to undergo tests and remedial treatment? Or, have the IPL umpires been told to look the other way? This was the result of enquiries in 1951 in England when Franck Chester and Frank Lee raised the issue about the legitimacy of South African Cuan McCarthy’s action.

What this tells us is, if Kamran is allowed to get away with it, the IPL will be seen flouting the laws of the game and add to the problem where bowlers with suspect actions can flourish. It is also a bad advert for those coaches in the IPL system who are allowing this to take place.

email: lbwbambrose@gmail.com