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Karachi, Dec 9: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that speed merchant Shoaib Akhtar's bowling action is under scrutiny.

However, the ICC has not barred the player from selection in the Australia-bound Pakistan team for the tri-nation series starting from Jan 9.

ICC's Manager Cricket Operations, Clive Hitchcock, in a Dec 2 letter, has informed the PCB that the game's governing body has received a report from Match Referee, John Reid, and supported by two umpires Darrell Hair and Peter Willey.

"A report has been received from the ICC referee in Australia Mr John Reid which has expressed concern about the bowling action of Shoaib Akhtar.

"The report is supported by National Grid panel umpires Darrell Hair and Peter Willey," Hitchcock writes in the letter.

Hair and Willey stood in the Perth Test which Pakistan lost by an innings and 20 runs to end a disastrous first half of the Australian tour. Interestingly, no objection has been made by the other three umpires - Daryll Harper (Australia), Eddie Nicholls (West Indies), Peter Parker (Australia) - who stood in the first two Tests. Willey also supervised the Hobart Test which Pakistan lost by four wickets.

Hair has a history of doubting bowlers bowling action. He called Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan seven times in the Melbourne Test during the 1995-96 series.

He again called the spinner for throwing last year which resulted in skipper Arjuna Ranatunga leading his team off the field.

On Sri Lanka's request, Hair was not appointed in any matches involving the country in the World Cup.

Now Hair has taken a shot at Shoaib Akhtar whose bowling action has been questioned after he has played 13 Tests in South Africa, India, Bangladesh and Australia. His 26 One-day Internationals include 10 in the recent World Cup under almost all the top ICC match referees and umpires.

When Shoaib made his debut in 1997-98 against the West Indies, Raman Subba Row was the match referee while against South Africa in South Africa, Peter Burge was the match referee. Cammie Smith was the match referee in the series against India in India earlier this year.

Shoaib Akhtar is the second Pakistan pacer whose bowling action has been referred to the ICC technical committee on illegal deliveries for clearance. Shabbir Ahmad was pulled out in October from the Australia tour after being selected.

While Shabbir was asked to the withdrawn from the team by the ICC, no such condition has been laid in the case of Shoaib Akhtar.

Hitchcock further writes: "The Conference Call will take place as soon as possible and a date will be advised to PCB in due course."

The ICC official also confirmed in the letter that so far Shoaib Akhtar's case has not been referred to the nine-man technical committee whose one of the members is John Reid. Pakistan will be represented by Imran Khan who has thrown his weight behind the fast bowler.

However, Hitchcock made it clear that not every delivery of Shoaib Akhtar is illegal.

"The report (by the match referee) has made it clear that not every delivery is affected but all three officials were concerned about the straightening of Shoaib's arm immediately before a bouncer or an express fast delivery," the letter says.

Hitchcock has also conveyed to the PCB that the match referee's report has been supported by a video footage of deliveries that were questionable.

"Video footage of the type of delivery in question has been received with the report. Copies will be sent to the advisory panel on illegal deliveries for them to review and a Conference Call will follow," says the two-page report, which added: "A copy of the tape will be sent to PCB."

© dawn