Brisbane Heat coach Johan Botha warns that chucking stigma could stick to Matt Kuhnemann regardless of whether he’s cleared

Matthew Kuhnemann’s BBL coach, South African Johan Botha, was once a Test spinner accused of a suspect action, and he’s warned the Aussie tweaker the stigma could stick - whether he’s guilty or not.

Matthew Kuhnemann has been warned by his Big Bash coach to brace himself for a career-long fallout over his reported bowling action, no matter the result of looming tests.

Johan Botha, who was himself called for a suspect action multiple times through his own international and Australian domestic career, said he sympathised greatly with Kuhnemann for the scrutiny the Test star now finds himself under.

Kuhnemann was reported by match officials after finishing the leading wicket-taker in Australia’s decisive 2-0 thumping of Sri Lanka and must now undergo mandatory biomechanical testing to prove the legality of his action.

Brisbane Heat coach Botha said from his experience the stigma never goes away, even if Kuhnemann is cleared.

WATCH: CODE Sports cricket reporter Ben Horne looks at the road ahead for Matthew Kuhnemann, and reveals the shock within Cricket Australia at the spinner’s reporting.

“It is a long process and unfortunately either way if you get cleared or not it will always be there,” Botha told Ian Healy on SEN in Brisbane.

“Guys think it’s a one-off and you get rid of it. That is not how it is.

“It is a bit of a process.

“For now he will have to bowl at a similar speed and revolutions as he did in the Tests. Nothing gets changed now.

Former South African bowler and current Queensland and Brisbane Heat coach Johan Botha was placed on report for a suspected illegal bowling action in a Test match in Australia in 2006 and had to undergo biometric testing.

“Now he needs to try and prove himself not guilty and from there on if it is a ball or so over 15 degrees (legal flexibility allowed) he will obviously have some work to do, then a long process starts.

“It never goes away because there is always someone in the crowd, someone in the opposition, or a match referee who wants to have a say or wants to feel a part of it.”

Botha said Kuhnemann’s success in Sri Lanka has contributed to match officials deciding to make an example of him.

“It is never the guy who gets 0-100. It is the guys who get wickets and effect games.

“They are the ones under scrutiny.

“Guys want to have a look at it and try and find fault.”

Johan Botha says the stigma of a suspect action will follow Matthew Kuhnemann forever

Sources have indicated Kuhnemann is holding up OK in the circumstances and those who know him have praised his resilience and toughness.

Overnight in Sri Lanka, Kuhnemann’s Brisbane Heat teammate Spencer Johnson described Kuhnemann as a great fighter.

Kuhnemann is absent from Tasmania’s one-day cup match against Victoria in Hobart today, however it has nothing to do with the report from the ICC.

It’s understood Kuhnemann flew straight from Sri Lanka to see his hand surgeon in Brisbane, after he had only just been passed fit for the Sri Lankan tour following a badly dislocated thumb towards the end of the BBL.

Kuhnemann will play for Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield match next week, which he is permitted to do even before testing occurs in the coming weeks.

Originally published as Brisbane Heat coach Johan Botha warns that chucking stigma could stick to Matt Kuhnemann regardless of whether he’s cleared