Atherton

Michael Atherton has recommended in the Sunday Telegraph that Dravid drop Sree Santh for the Oval Test.
The point he makes is that a beamer has no place in cricket. Capable of taking a batsman's head clean off, it deserves to be condemned, irrespective of whether it was accidental or whether the bowler apologized. Of course, the bowler is going to apologize, and of course he will claim that it was accidental, and so there is no way out but to ban the errant bowler.

So a beamer needs to be made into a strict liability offence? That is his solution?? That the beamer be elevated to the status of a drug or terrorist offence, and to assume that every beamer has murderous intent behind it? That is such bull shit. Umpires are adequately empowered to deal with beamers, and I believe there is a warning system that is already in place. If anyone knows more on how an umpire may deal with a fast bowler who lets rip, two consecutive beamers, do leave a note.