Ajmal improves action 'substantially', says unofficial test

Sport360 staff 21:27 15/11/2014
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  • Making strides: Saeed Ajmal.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received positive indications that their ace-spinner Saeed Ajmal- – currently banned due to illegal action — has improved his action dramatically, unofficial tests at the ICC accredited venue in the UK have revealed.

    Ajmal had been working hard with Saqlain Mushtaq, who was specially hired to get the spinner's action right before the 2015 World Cup, for 45 days at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore. Pakistan’s spin consultant Mushtaq Ahmed and NCA head coach Mohammad Akram have also assisted in the task.

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    In addition, PCB’s illegal bowling action committee members and analysts remained an integral part of the process while he was filmed with 2d cameras before being sent for unofficial testing.

    After experts were satisfied with the remedial work and modified action, Ajmal was sent to Loughborough University last week for testing at the newest of the ICC’s accredited centres. He was put through his paces by Dr. Mark King and his team under the scrutiny of 18 Camera Vicon MX13 System Cameras (250 Hz).

    The standard ICC Illegal Action Testing Protocol was used to assess the degree of elbow extension from the point of upper arm horizontal to ball release within the bowling action.

    The tests were conducted on November 10-11 and it’s report suggest that the bowler is on his way to make his action legal again soon.

    According to a PCB media release, King has reported that Ajmal has altered his bowling action significantly.

    “The bowler has clearly modified his bowling action substantially,” an excerpt from King’s report read.

    “There is visible improvement from the previous official test where the average elbow extension was 40 degrees but the amount of elbow extension is still over the 15 degree limit, but it is likely that with additional work the bowler can bowl within the 15 degree limit”.

    Following the report, the PCB has decided to extend Ajmal’s stay in England by a week, to allow him to engage in further remedial work with Saqlain Mushtaq in Leicester.

    Ajmal was reported during the first Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle, played from August 6-10 this year. The report was made by Bruce Oxenford and Ian Gould (on-field umpires), Richard Illingworth (third Umpire), and match referee Andy Pycroft.

    His official test in Brisbane concluded that that his average elbow extension was over 40 degrees.

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