Even our ‘keeper finds Ajmal difficult to read

Adnan has trouble picking the off-spinner’s doosra as well.

ABU DHABI: It’s not just the England batsmen who are having trouble picking off-spinner Saaed Ajmal.

Pakistan’s young wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal admitted that Ajmal was difficult to judge from behind the wickets as well and he needed extra practice to be successful. Ajmal took a career-best seven for 55 in the first-innings and then three for 42 in the second to help Pakistan rout England by 10 wickets in the first Test in Dubai, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

But despite the difficulty, the 26-year-old Adnan finished with seven catches in the match and his valuable knock of 61 helped Pakistan gain an important 146-run lead in the first-innings.

Adnan, who replaced his more experienced elder brother Kamran Akmal in the Pakistan line-up in 2010, said Ajmal’s doosra was difficult to pick.

“I had some trouble keeping on Ajmal’s doosra,” Adnan, refering to the delivery which turns the other way than the off-break. “I worked with Ijaz Ahmed [fielding coach] and the drills helped me a lot. It’s a bit different and difficult to keep off him. I’ve practiced a lot and every time I keep wickets I watch his hand.”

‘I’ve set no signals with Ajmal’

Adnan denied he has set any signals with Ajmal on which delivery will come next.

“It is only after a lot of practice that I am doing better on his bowling. I have set no signals because if you set signals then it is no use being the keeper.”

When asked about Ajmal’s mystery delivery, which the off-spinner had claimed to unveil against England, Adnan said he had found no different delivery.

“I never felt any difference. They were normal deliveries like I have been keeping to in the last few matches.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2012.