ICC crackdown should have come after World Cup: Waqar
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KARACHI: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has questioned the timing of cricket authorities' crackdown against chucking just months away from the World Cup, and suggested that rules on bowling actions be relaxed for spinners.
In an interview with AFP, the former pace great said key all rounder Mohammed Hafeez's confidence was left shattered after he was reported for a suspect action in an Indian domestic tournament, a fresh blow to Pakistan following the loss of Saeed Ajmal to a chucking ban.
Ajmal, the world's leading one-day bowler, faces a race against time to complete remedial work by the World Cup, to be held from February to March in Australia and New Zealand.
He was suspended earlier this month after he was found to straighten his elbow up to 43 degrees -- well beyond the 15 degree limit prescribed under the rules, the point where a kink becomes noticeable to the naked eye.
Since then, Hafeez and Sunil Narine have been among four players reported during an Indian tournament. Though the action has no direct bearing on international cricket, Waqar said the bowlers would now be under intense scrutiny.
“Is this the right time to enforce the protocols and the technology?” he said.
“I am asking this because everyone plans ahead of the World Cup, and the suspensions will badly hit the teams whose bowlers have been suspended or questioned.
“I mean the protocols and the technology should have been enforced after the World Cup,” he added.
Ajmal's suspension came as part of a wider drive by the International Cricket Council against bowlers with suspect actions, with Sri Lanka's Sachitra Senanayake and Kane Williamson being suspended in July this year.
Bangladesh's Sohag Gazi and Al-Amin Hossain along with Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya were all reported after Ajmal.
The bans have thrown a spotlight on the controversial “doosra” delivery, which turns in the opposite direction to orthodox offspin but is delivered using the same wrist action.
Waqar suggested that the delivery could not be bowled legally and the ICC should amend their laws to accommodate it.
“When a bowler bowls a doosra, his elbow must bend beyond limits, that's natural and I think a solution must be found.“
Waqar added that Hafeez, who is a major part of Pakistan's limited overs teams, had been left scarred by the experience of being reported.
“I know they have reported him under a process but that is confidence-shattering for one of our key bowlers.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board is facing something of a chucking crisis at home, suspending 16 bowlers last week after 30 were reported for suspect actions.
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Comments (36) Closed
Sep 30, 2014 02:14pm
Anyone reposted from big three? Oh wait they don't have any spin attack at all. Let the comment/counters fly
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Sep 30, 2014 02:52pm
the statement "When a bowler bowls a doosra, his elbow must bend beyond limits, that's natural and I think a solution must be found"
means he knew that his team mates were chucking and he did nothing as a coach to ensure the rules of the game are not violated.
On the top of it, Waqar is saying that such rule violations much be allowed to continue and crack down must have started after the worldcup? bizarre statements by a great of the game encouraging rule violations.
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Sep 30, 2014 03:12pm
@alive Agreed. I understand that Waqar is not unhappy with the timing of the enforcement but does that mean that rules should be relaxed for a 6-7 month or any duration for that matter? I don't think so.
And yes, if the doosra is illegal then it is illegal. Full stop. We can't bend the rules of the game - it's the time the elbow straightens out too.
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Sep 30, 2014 03:18pm
If you agree doosra requires chucking then
as a coach u need to remind players that chucking is illegal
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Sep 30, 2014 03:20pm
@alive: No, what this means is that at a certain point immediately before the delivery, the arm deviates slightly. Chucking in its literal meanings is chucking, and what Saeed, Narine and Hafeez are doing is definitly not chucking. The definition of this word is highly subjective and designed to suit a specific mindset in cricket. I would say allow that, allow this change so there is some damn invention in bowling or the art element would die out. Otherwise you might as well get Men bat against Bowling machines.
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Sep 30, 2014 03:29pm
Cricket rules have evolved as has the bowling right from under arm days. So yes there can be arguments and counter arguments whether to amend the laws or not, make contest between bat and ball even or not, but it is not outright nonsensical to ask for amendment of the rules to accommodate one of the best innovations for an off spinner...just wait till there is a Brit/Aussie bowler who can bowl a doosra and no one will no more be talking about bending elbows (just like what happened with reverse swing, soon doosra will be recognized as an 'art'!). By the way why no such rules for batsmen...what about banning reverse sweeps, and switch hits for example?
And for Hafeez it is indeed a blow, even though no direct implications in international cricket but surely his being reported will keep umpires interested! watch out for some action from umpires in the upcoming Australian Series.
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Sep 30, 2014 04:24pm
We can play without Ajmal or the chuckers. Our team is not a world class team and I do not see any player who can win matches for us. This coming world cup is not the o e that I am even hopeful about. Let's plan for the next one.
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Sep 30, 2014 04:39pm
“When a bowler bowls a doosra, his elbow must bend beyond limits, that’s natural and I think a solution must be found.”
So they knew - paki cheaters.
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Sep 30, 2014 05:47pm
He is 100 percent right. Nevertheless, ICC is just a tool dancing at the tunes of the so-called powerful, influential, mighty and tangible asset oriented people of the cricket world where only money walks and money talks. What a tragedy?
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Sep 30, 2014 05:48pm
The whole country knew that the bowlers were chucking. Basically he wanted to wait till after the world cup. My only complain is that Murali should have been banned too.
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Sep 30, 2014 06:06pm
Sad that Waqar gave such statement. So, he is ok if a bowler cheats but still wins the matches. 43 degrees bending n he says Ajmal should be allowed to chuck till World cup ? Is this his contribution as bowling coach to Pak team ? I think ICC should check the video records of Ajmal's or other suspected action bowlers' wicket taking deliveries n declare them null n void if found that the bowler chucked.
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Sep 30, 2014 06:38pm
I think the coaches and Pakistan cricket Board should take the blame for allowing the chuckers in the games . Any one having
little knowledge of cricket can easily say by seeing the action of the bowler whether he is throwing the ball or bowling.
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Sep 30, 2014 06:56pm
to be fair lets add ravindra jadeja and harbhajan to the list! Come on Bcci(icc) show some heart!
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Sep 30, 2014 07:03pm
@amir harbhajan doesnt get selected anymore to play for india.. in any case, early in his career he was already called for his action which had to be corrected.. if u really see, no bowler from england or australia has ever been called for chucking..
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Sep 30, 2014 07:46pm
I think, he needs to clarify what he is saying here. Our coach needs an education, that cheating is cheating. If you are chucking, you are breaking the law - world cup or no world cup.
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Sep 30, 2014 07:48pm
Yeh sub Modi ki sazish hai. Big three plus Newzealand will be in last four of WC 2015.
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Sep 30, 2014 08:09pm
Look at this Paki so called legend, who is delaying/condoning the illegal bowling. Shame on this
person who is exposing his mentality so Ajmal can take wickets by illegal means. This is a general mentality of persons in authority. I condemn this man, Waqar Yunus.
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Sep 30, 2014 08:31pm
@Rogers Evans : Why leave out Obama?
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Sep 30, 2014 08:43pm
Our managers and administrators need professional training to handle such matters without making a fool of themselves.The should be able to thwart international intrigues.
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Sep 30, 2014 08:51pm
Please bring some literate people into PCB.
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Sep 30, 2014 09:00pm
How about Ashwin????? Oh wait, I forgot he is part of the Big 3 team. It's so clear, BCCI and its cronies are wanting to eliminate all threats to them prior to the World Cup 2015. West Indian players make big money in the IPL and (wait n watch) won't want to win against India, so as not to cause any anguish to their masters. Only South Africa and Sri Lanka will be BCCI and its cronies biggest threats in the WC. Hoping and praying that either South Africa or Sri Lanka win the WC
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Oct 01, 2014 03:35am
@Omar Sadiq : No wonder nobody will ever take Pakistanis seriously.
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Oct 01, 2014 06:05am
@Adeel Batsmen are banned from changing the stance once the bowler starts his run up. Fielders too are banned from changing their positions.
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Oct 01, 2014 06:22am
@Oz
Lets say we agree to what you are saying and on technical terms understand that that the bowler does not "intend" to chuck but has to bend the rules to create variations/invention/art to prevent the game to be one sided in favor of the batsman. This will open a different argument on why only off-spinners and not fast bowlers can bend their elbow to 50 degrees? or 60 degrees or even more. A line of 15 degrees was drawn because that was the point the naked eye can pick an illegal action, and my point of view is we should stick to this rule and not tinker with the set rules of the game if we do not want bowling to turn into pitching and cricket to turn to baseball.
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Oct 01, 2014 06:48am
@Omar Sadiq so Pakistan should not send our team for the World Cup because you have already told the results, so who to loose
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Oct 01, 2014 07:19am
The legend has lost it I think. So illegal practices should be allowed to continue so teams have a chance of doing well at the sporting event. That's not a good message
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Oct 01, 2014 07:41am
Waqar Younis was surely a great cricketer BUT what he is saying makes no sense. Whether ICC cracks down or not bowlers should be 100% within the rules. The fact is Saeed Ajmal's actions was wrong world cup or no world cup. If a bowler cannot bowl properly does he deserve to be in top level of the game ?? The worst part is the coach, manager, captain etc etc never noticed Saeed's action why ? Is this ignorance or breaking the games law ??
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Oct 01, 2014 08:49am
Waqar should forget about spinners . There is still some time left for WC. He should go to small towns and try to find Atleast 2 genuine fast bowlers and make them play in WC. Fast bowlers are there, it's just a matter of finding them and grooming them. Easiest thing for PCB to do is to hire Shoaib Akhtar as a talent scout and trainer. He can develop fast bowlers.
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Oct 01, 2014 09:33am
there was nothing wrong with this crack down, if it was impartial and targeted all players from all the countries. Looks like only couple of countries who are threat to BIG 3 are being targeted. There are lots of players from all over the world have kink in their actions and should not be bowling. Why Ajmal was singled out? and why now??? What about Ashwin, Suni Narine, Bhaji, Malinga, list goes on and on. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to tell that these all players chuck off and on, and Saeed was no exception. BUT unfairly singled out...If they are clearing their path for World cup then they are dreaming!
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Oct 01, 2014 09:37am
@Zaid Noorsumar
I feel pity for ODI bowlers. Whats left in the game for them? Consistently, various rules have been imposed AGAINST bowlers only. Two new balls make it difficult to ball reverse swing, field restriction favoring batsman. I mean 4 individuals outside the circle at max.. I believe even the Sultan of swing would have been expensive under this scenario. One cant bowl on medical grounds like murali n shoaib did..
Oh wait.. ICC has given something to bowlers.. they can bowl 2 bouncers now .. Hurrah..!
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Oct 01, 2014 02:23pm
by the way whats the reason behind not to go over 15 degree, all what matter is that one should throw the ball towards batsman, yeah in that case if theres no rule one will throw ball in any style (can be just like throwing stone) and can exceed speed limit , in that case the rule should be degrees turn binded with speed limit of ball simple.
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Oct 01, 2014 04:27pm
@khanman what should be that speed limit? 150k or 160kmph?
The likes of bret lee were able to bowl that fast with normal actions.
If the limit is 165, what will stop bowlers to throw at 160 than no exceeding speed limit as well, what lengths will you go to justify an chucking off spinner.
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Oct 01, 2014 07:03pm
@baby doll main sone di
try to test Ashwin and other Carrom ball bowlers you cant put pace in with a finger without bending elbow.
But BIG3's plot doesnt include indian players..
PS What a cheap name you got there!!!!
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Oct 01, 2014 07:42pm
@Noodle well einsteins teacher showed him the path rest he figured it out.
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Oct 01, 2014 11:50pm
Isn't it peculiar that this ICC crackdown has not included ANY indian spinners? They are vigilant enough to take away our best spinner (who just happens to be the best spinner in the world) right before the World Cup! Something stinks!
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Oct 03, 2014 07:48am
@Faisal -- They all knew from beginning that Ajmal was a chucker, that why they didn't selected him early, he begin international cricket at age of 30 ...
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