KARACHI:
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has questioned the timing of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) crackdown against chucking just months away from the World Cup, and suggested that rules on bowling actions be relaxed for spinners.
Waqar said key all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez's confidence was left shattered after he was reported for a suspect action in an Indian domestic tournament, a fresh blow to Pakistan following the loss of Saeed Ajmal to a chucking ban.
Ajmal, the world's leading one-day bowler, faces a race against time to complete remedial work by the World Cup, to be held from February to March in Australia and New Zealand.
He was suspended earlier this month after he was found to straighten his elbow up to 43 degrees — well beyond the 15-degree limit prescribed under the rules.
"Is this the right time to enforce the protocols and the technology?" asked Waqar. "I’m asking this because every team plans ahead of the World Cup, and the suspensions will badly hit the teams whose bowlers got suspended or questioned.”
Ajmal's suspension came as part of a wider drive by the cricket authorities against bowlers with suspect actions.
The bans have thrown a spotlight on the controversial ‘doosra’ delivery, which turns in the opposite direction to orthodox off-spin but is delivered using the same wrist action.
Waqar suggested that the delivery could not be bowled legally and the ICC should amend their laws to accommodate it.
"When a bowler bowls a doosra, his elbow must bend beyond limits, that's natural and I think a solution must be found."
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2014.
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Since the beginning Pakistani off spinners were called for chucking starting from Hasib Ahsan to now not only Ajmal but also our future prospects. Pakistan Board has also conspired to check several players and now the best spinner in the world Naraine has been called. Yet it is a conspiracy against Pakistan? Narine's timings cannot be worse as he is the best bowler and top money maker in the world. However, only we smell conspiracy by ICC.