North Canberra Gungahlin all-rounder Joe Leach, who played alongside controversial Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal in England, believes banning bowlers for illegal actions has no positive impact on the game.
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Leach is playing in the Cricket ACT first-grade competition in the Australian summer after his best season for Worcestershire, a team that earned promotion to the first division of the English county competition.
Ajmal played an important role in Worcestershire's resurgence, taking more than 60 wickets in nine games. Ajmal is currently sidelined after the International Cricket Council banned him for having an illegal bowling action.
Leach believes bowlers should be allowed a certain amount of leeway given other elements of the game - such as the introduction of two new balls and tighter fielding restrictions - favour batsmen.
"My thought on all these guys getting banned is, is it making the game of cricket any better? And I'd suggest probably not," Leach said.
"These guys are world-class performers. You see everything stacked [for] batters these days, so let's see these guys do something a bit different. It can only make for good viewing."
Leach and Scotland international George Munsey are spending the summer with North Canberra Gungahlin.
After a loss to Queanbeyan in its opening one-day game of the season last weekend, North Canberra faces Wests/UC in the Gallop Cup on Saturday.
"It's all about trying to improve, so coming over here and testing yourself here is key," Leach said.
"It's slightly alien conditions, playing a different standard against different cricketers is only going to make you better when you go back to England.
"Having the chance to come out here on the back of last season is good because it means I can keep up the momentum."
Munsey has missed the past 12 months with a slipped disc in his back. He is yet to resume bowling, but hopes a solid summer with North Canberra and also the ACT Comets will put him back in contention for the Scotland national team in time for next year's World Cup
"It's a small chance, it's going to be tough, I'm going to have to score some runs for the Comets and really put my name into the squad," Munsey said.
"The guys in there are doing great - they lost to New Zealand by two runs off the last ball, and that was a full strength New Zealand team."
SATURDAY: John Gallop Cup: Wests/UC v North Canberra Gungahlin at Jamison Oval. Queanbeyan v Weston Creek Molonglo at Freebody Oval. Eastlake v Ginninderra at Kingston Oval. Tuggeranong v ANU at Chisholm. All games start at 11am.
