Botha to undergo more tests: CSA

Johannesburg, Sep 19 (UNI) Banned South African off-spinner Johan Botha will undergo further independent biomechanical test at the University of Western Australia in Perth after initial tests once again declared his action illegal.

In a statement issued here, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said Botha will be tested again after the first test results failed to show any improvement.

''CSA would re-submit Johan Botha for a further independent biomechanical test at the University of Western Australia in Perth,'' CSA General Manager for Cricket Affairs Brian Basson said.

The off-spinner was reported for a suspect action during the third Test against Australia in January this year.

In accordance with ICC regulations, Botha was submitted for an independent test in Perth which concluded that his action exceeded the level of tolerance permitted in the game.

Botha was immediately suspended from bowling in international cricket thereafter and has been working on a rehabilitation programme with his coaches and the biomechanical team at the University of Cape Town based at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.

''After independent tests conducted in the UK showed that Botha's bowling action was still illegal, the results of which varied greatly from the tests previously conducted at UCT, a further test was conducted at UCT which concluded that his bowling action is in fact legal,'' Basson said.

''In a report to CSA, UCT has recommended that Botha be re-submitted to Perth for a further independent test, as the testing system used in Perth is similar to the model used at the Sports Science Institute based in Cape Town,'' he added.

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