Beaton suspended from bowling, again

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

GUYANA HARPY Eagles pacer Ronsford Beaton has been suspended from bowling in the West Indies Championship by Cricket West Indies (CWI) with immediate effect.

CWI disclosed in a media release yesterday that the bowling action of Beaton was found illegal by an independent assessor at Loughborough University, an accredited testing centre for suspect bowling actions in the United Kingdom.

The action of the 30-year-old was found to be in breach of the permitted flex under CWI playing regulations after he was reported by match officials during the fourth round match between the table-leading Harpy Eagles and Jamaica Scorpions in Guyana.

Beaton has taken 18 wickets at 17.50 runs apiece in four matches so far this season, making him the second-best bowler for the Harpy Eagles, as well as the most successful pacer and fifth-best bowler overall in the tournament at the time of his suspension.

Typically, bowlers with suspect actions undergo remedial work under the supervision of their franchise following which they may apply for a re-examination – but there was no indication if he will.

This is not the first time that Beaton has been suspended for a suspect action.

He was reported and later suspended during the West Indies Super50 Cup three years ago in Trinidad, which was two years after he endured a similar fate following only his second One-day International appearance for West Indies against New Zealand in December 2017.

Beaton had not played on the regional stage for almost three years until he represented the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the inaugural 6IXTY tournament last August in St Kitts and made his return to the line-up for the Harpy Eagles this year.