23 May 2004	Sunday	03 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, May 22: Umpires in domestic cricket have been asked to bring to the notice of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) any bowler found with suspect bowling action.

According to details available with Dawn, Shaharyar M. Khan, the PCB chairman, earlier in the week circulated a signed letter to all umpires who have been officiating in domestic cricket.

Test speedsters Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir Ahmed along with Junaid Zia, son of former PCB chief Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, and the ICC Under-19 World Cup winner Riaz Afridi have been specifically mentioned by Shaharyar as the cricketers who have been reported for suspect bowling action.

Shaharyar has urged the umpires to remain alert and report without fear any bowler with such bowling action at all levels of the game, ranging from school and club cricket to second grade and first-class cricket.

The PCB chairman has also written that Pakistan's reputation had been tarnished by those bowlers who have been reported to the game's governing body, the International Cricket Council.

Meanwhile, Gen Tauqir Zia is contemplating taking PCB to the court for citing the case of Junaid, who played four One-day Internationals against Bangladesh last September, in the letter.