Samuels banned for faulty bowling action

LONDON, England -- West Indian Test star Marlon Samuels has been banned from bowling after the International Cricket Council ruled his action was suspect.

Samuels, an occasional off-spinner, was reported by the umpires in the Third Test between South Africa and West Indies in Durban in January.

An injury to paceman Dwayne Bravo and the absence of Chris Gayle meant Samuels was pressed into service for 21 overs in South Africa's only innings of the game.

An initial examination of his action, carried out by Dr Mark King, a member of the ICC Panel of Human Movement Specialists, revealed his both his off-break and 'fast' deliveries were delivered with his arm and elbow flexed beyond the 15 degree level of tolerance permitted under regulations.

The 27-year-old has taken just seven wickets at a cost of over 127 runs per wickets in his Test career.

The suspension applies with immediate effect although Samuels, a middle order batsman, does have the right to appeal.

In other cricket news, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has avoided a penalty for using illegal wicketkeeping gloves during their one-day international loss to Australia on Sunday.

The gloves were ruled to have an illegal large webbing between the thumb and forefinger.

Dhoni's Indian temmate Ishant Sharma has been fined 15 percent of his match fee after clashing with Australia's Andrew Symonds in the 18-run win for the home side.

Symonds, at the center of a race row with Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh during the stormy Test series between the two teams, took offence to paceman Sharma's provocative celebration after he had been clean bowled. Sharma gestured and pointed Symonds to the pavilion. E-mail to a friend