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| July 15, 2005 | Friday | Jumadi-us-Sani 7, 1426 |
ICC report declares Shabbir bowling action illegal
LAHORE, July 14: Test pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed’s bowling action has been declared illegal, according to the report of an ICC bio-mechanic expert, which was received by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after a long delay.
PCB director cricket operations, Saleem Altaf, announced on Thursday that the report reveals the bowler had a maximum bent of 27 degrees, far from the revised 15 degrees, permitted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The PCB will send the 19-page report to the bowling review committee of the board for further action, he said.
Shabbir’s action was adjudged suspect by the match officials at the conclusion of the first Test against West Indies in Bridgetown May 29.
However, Shabbir was allowed to continue bowling in the second Test.
Shabbir appeared before expert Dr Paul Hurrian on June 11 in London while returning home from the West Indies.
But the report received after a delay as according to the ICC rules it should have been submitted to the international body by June 25.
When contacted Shabbir told this scribe that he had no information about the report but he has been asked to meet Saleem Altaf. “I will see him on Friday and will follow the guidelines of the board in this connection.
“I am very disappointed but I will get my bowling action rectified and try my level best to be available for the home series against England.”
Commenting on the report, Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq said that Shabbir had been bowling exceptionally well.
“We will make effort to get him cleared as we did in the case of off-spinner Shoaib Malik, in the recent past,” he remarked. “I do hope that Shabbir will be available for selection for the home series against England.”
He suggested that the PCB should be vigilant to solve this problem at the first-class level.
Meanwhile, Inzamam said that he would like sporting pitches for the England series later this year. “We should not prefer extra-ordinary spinning tracks but sporting ones.”
Inzamam, however, was quite worried about the fitness level of the players saying “a tough season is ahead and the team can not afford unfit players”.
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