New Zealand part-time spinner Kane Williamson has been banned from bowling after biomechanical tests confirmed his action is illegal, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said Wednesday. Williamson was reported following New Zealand's 10-wicket defeat in the second Test in the West Indies and ordered by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to undergo independent testing on his delivery.
The tests, conducted by Cardiff Metropolitan University, confirmed that his elbow extension when bowling exceeded the 15 degrees of flex permitted under ICC regulations, NZC said. The 23-year-old, who will continue in his primary role as a batsman, said he was determined to work on his action and pass the biomechanical tests so he could once again bowl for the Black Caps. "(I) will concentrate on changing whatever's necessary to return to the bowling crease," he said. "Clearly, the onus is on me to satisfy assessors as to the legality of my action, and I'm aware I have some hard work in front of me to achieve that goal."