CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe insists local umpires are not to blame after Proteas spinner Prenelan Subrayen was reported for a suspect action on his ODI debut against Australia.

The 31-year-old Dolphins stalwart dismissed Travis Head in Cairns last week and played a supporting role in South Africa’s 98-run victory, before match officials flagged 12 of his 60 deliveries as potentially illegal. Subrayen has since undergone testing in Brisbane.

Nkwe defended South Africa’s umpires, pointing out that Subrayen’s action has previously been cleared at domestic and international level.

“Prenelan went to the West Indies with the SA A team and then the Test in Zimbabwe earlier this year, he has played overseas and not been reported there,” Nkwe told SportsBoom.co.za. “So it’s unfair to look at our domestic umpires. He’s been exposed to international umpires and match referees before and there have been no negative reports. He’s also been on TV a lot.”

Nkwe suggested the intensity of the fixture may have contributed to the scrutiny.

“There’s always a lot at stake when South Africa play Australia, and maybe that’s why the officials started to suspect something. Next week we will hopefully get the results from Brisbane and if it’s not a good report, then we will look at everything else. If it’s a positive report then we move on.”

Subrayen has previously been reported for his action, most recently in 2016, but had gone almost a decade without issue.

Nkwe stressed the importance of supporting him through the process.

“The magnitude of the game was very different to anything else he has played,” Nkwe said. “We want to protect him, and CSA and the team management have offered him our support in any way. He’s a flippen tough character, a tough nut.”

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