PERTH, Dec 13: Pakistan off-spinner Shoaib Malik is clear to play in the first Test against Australia starting Thursday as the results of tests on his bowling action will not be known for at least a week, officials here said.
All-rounder Malik was cited for a suspect topspin action following a one-day series in Sri Lanka in October and was tested for two hours by human movement specialists at the University of Western Australia on Monday.
Although analysts said they should know the angle of his elbow extension within a few days, it was unlikely the report would be complete for at least a week. Human movement specialist Daryl Foster, who conducted the test which saw highly reflective markers attached to the 24-year-old's body, said the report would go to the Pakistan Cricket Board who would then pass it on to the International Cricket Council.
Foster said the process would take time but Malik would be free to bowl against Australia in the interim. "The rules say until the report goes through to the ICC he can still bowl in the Test match," Foster said.
"The report hasn't gone to the Pakistan board, I doubt whether it will go there before the start of the (first) Test match. "It takes a couple of days to digitise all the information and write the report and send it to Pakistan.
"Then they've got to send it to the ICC so if it gets there before Christmas it will be doing well." Earlier this year the university carried out the same tests on Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, clearing him to use his controversial doosra delivery.
Whether Malik is allowed to bowl in the second Test, starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day will depend on the report's findings and timing. Even if Malik's top-spinner is found to be flawed, he could still bowl off-breaks or play solely as a batsman. He batted at number six in last week's the recent tour match against Western Australia and is expected to do the same against Australia. -AFP
