Ajmal hails inauguration of biomechanics lab

Believes many budding bowlers can now avoid his fate

KARACHI: Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal yesterday hailed the inauguration of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) biomechanics lab at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Tuesday, saying that the machinery would help budding cricketers avoid problems he has faced in his career.

The biomechanics lab allows the analysis of a player’s bowling style and Ajmal believes the facility which, if inaugurated a couple of years ago, would have helped him modify his action as well.

“Finally there is a biomechanics lab in Pakistan, something which should have been done a couple of years back. If we had this facility, I could have modified my action,” said Ajmal.



The 38-year-old also hoped that the PCB would make the lab accessible to cricketers who are not part of the national side. “I hope the PCB makes it accessible to every cricketer and not just the national players. There are a lot of kids who might be facing problems of chucking and they need to be guided. If the PCB makes it cost-effective, then many bowlers would benefit from it.”

The biomechanics lab, meanwhile, has been temporarily set up at LUMS, while no timeline is available for when it would be moved to a more permanent setup.

In its current state, the lab does not have enough space to allow fast-bowlers to complete a full run-up, while there is no place to install cameras below the pitch — a crucial element which allows the analysis of a bowler’s movement from every possible angle.



Meanwhile, a senior PCB official, who also hailed the inauguration of the lab, revealed that the LUMS faculty members will use the lab for more purposes than just for monitoring cricketers.

“It’s great that the lab has been inaugurated. It will definitely help Pakistan cricket. We’ve also been told by the professors [at LUMS] that they will not limit the equipment’s use to just monitoring cricketers. In fact, a new course, in collaboration with foreign universities, will also be introduced,” revealed the official.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2016.

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