Australia’s Chris Green cleared of suspect bowling action

Earlier this year in January, Cricket Australia (CA) handed Chris Green with a 90-day ban after his bowling action was found illegal. Back then, the off-spinner was playing for the Sydney Thunder in the 2019-20 edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). The tweaker underwent testing after the game between the Thunder and Melbourne Stars, led by Glenn Maxwell.

It not only ended his BBL stint, but also put to clouds his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he was picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 20 lakhs. However, the 26-year-old has now been cleared of the suspect bowling action. The Thunder on Wednesday, June 24, confirmed that he ‘performed significantly below the allowable 15 degrees of elbow extension’.

The same was after a test at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. Green said that sitting in the sidelines not being able to play would have been tough for him. But he was also motivated to stage a comeback after the blow.

I am very grateful for all the support: Chris Green

“To have to sit on the sidelines and not be able to play or help the team was really difficult. But at the same time, it was also a big factor of my motivation to get back to playing as quickly as possible. I am very grateful for all the support from the Thunder and Cricket NSW coaches,”  Green was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Sydney Thunder.

When the Thunder picked Green for the previous season, he signed a six-year deal, the biggest in the history of the BBL. Over the last couple of years, he has emerged as a more than handy cricketer in the shortest format. In the last two editions of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), he has shone for the Guyana Amazon Warriors (CA) and has even captained them.

In the last CPL, he picked up 13 wickets at a decent economy of 6.44. He bowled in the powerplay and restricted the batsmen. In his career thus far, Green has played 82 T20s and picked up 65 wickets at an economy of 6.77. He is no mug with the bat either, scoring 506 runs at an average of 15.81.