Johan Botha's Action Draws Umpire Attention

Here we go again with another chucking call.

Johan Botha was called after the fourth ODI against Australia. On-field umpires Brian Jerling and Asoka de Silva and third umpire Rudi Koertzen put forward the latest report.

Reading various blogs and forums it is evident that people fall into very clearly defined camps over the issue:

Clean up this blight on the game.

It doesn't matter now that the degree of flex changed.

How can umpires spot any variation from the rules when it is such small increments?

And the oddest comments noticed:

Bloody Australians will complain about anyone getting the better of them!

I will let the ICC sort through the hoo-ha that will accompany Botha's action without comment...what's the point! But I do find peoples' reactions interesting.

Sure, clean up the game; do what it takes. Ultimately an on field scan of flex would settle (nearly) all debate... but who can see that implemented? Test Botha, approve/disapprove him, give him a time to fix it, move on.

As to the degree of flex rules change; it is hard to argue when the naked eye struggles to see much/any difference; and the tests on all styles has shown previous expectations were based on aesthetics. One thing was uniformity was needed.

The complaints against Australia have been addressed by many irate punters correctly stating that the Australian didn't complain, and two of the umpires are South African. Further to that, Botha has not had the greatest of seasons in RSA, so it not like he is being targeted because he is dominating.

Possibly the worst aspect of the media attention has been the headlines worded along the lines of Botha chucker! Clearly the reporting needs to be merely that he has been reported of illegal action; let the ICC work through it.