PTI
 
Melbourne, Apr 17: Johan Botha's "suspect" bowling action is not as conspicuous as that of Muttiah Muralitharan but could be heading towards the Sri Lankan's way if not corrected soon, feels the Australian bowling expert who tested the South African off-spinner when he was first reported.

Botha was first tested by the University of Western Australia bio-mechanist Bruce Elliott in 2006. He completely overhauled his action and has since emerged as South Africa's leading slow bowler in limited-overs cricket.

But, he now faces a fresh round of tests after umpires raised concerns about his quicker ball and doosra during the fourth One-dayer against Australia in Port Elizabeth.

Elliott refused to pass judgment on the legality of Botha's action but said the South African would always catch attention of umpires due to a fixed bend in his elbow and his forearm extends at an unusual angle, both of which are more dramatically evident in Muralitharan.

"It doesn't mean he is guilty or not guilty. But it is always going to look a bit strange. He is not quite as different as Murali but he is heading in that direction," Elliott was quoted as saying by The Age.

Elliott's laboratory initially deemed Botha's off-break and doosra illegal in 2006 but eventually cleared him after remedial work in South Africa.

Elliott insists the ICC's contentious chucking laws are working.