Perera called a "chucker" as England crash 

London , May 19: Sri Lanka's left-arm medium pace bowler Ruchira Perera was caught up in a "chucking" storm after ripping the heart out of England's batting at Lord's on the third day of the first Test on Saturday.

The little-known left-armer was accused by ex-England stars Dermot Reeve and Mike Atherton of having a suspect action as Nasser Hussain's men were left struggling to save the Test.

The 25-year-old Perera is not one of the world's top bowlers but he performed like a world-beater taking three for 48 with his whippy medium pacers as England were forced to follow on after they were dismissed for 275 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 555 for 8 declared.

England's predicament was over-shadowed by the row over Perera's bowling action with TV replays showing his arm bending just before the ball was released. The rule states a bowler's arm must remain straight at all times.

Reeve, now a commentator for Channel 4, told Michael Atherton on air while studying Perera's action: "I'm sorry Michael, but that is a throw. I am going to put my head on the block."

If the umpires choose to report Perera, it is likely to be in their report to the match referee, India's Gundappa Vishwanath, after the game. The recent convention has been to deal with suspect bowlers behind closed doors and not no-ball them on the field.

According to a report in the 'Sunday Mirror' today, Umpires Daryll Harper and Srinivas Venkataraghavan failed to notice any problems with Perera and therefore did not mention it to the match referee.

The 'Mirror' report, however, said: "Ex-Indian Test star Viswanath will surely be forced into studying the Sri Lankan's action after it was put under the TV microscope."

Bowlers who have recently been given remedial treatment under the new International Cricket Council guidelines include Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, England's James Kirtley and two Bangladeshi spinners.

A bowler has to be reported thrice in 12 months before he has his action examined by the ICC bowling Review Group.

England batsman John Crawley told the 'Sunday Telegraph': "It is someone else's job to look at things like that, not ours." BBC radio commentator Jonathan Agnew also expressed doubts saying he would return to the subject "unless he alters his action".

It is not the first time Sri Lanka have been embroiled in this kind of affair. Muttiah Muralitharan, one of the world's best spinner, is still dogged by "chucking" allegations.

Perera was also in trouble with the umpires in this Test for running on the wicket and for showing dissent at having an lbw appeal rejected. Each time he received warnings.

According to a report in 'The Sunday Times', Perera is no stranger to controversy. During England's tour of Sri Lanka in 2000-01, he got involved in an argument with Craig White, and it is also believed that in January last, English umpire Peter Willey had doubts about his action during a Test match against South Africa.