LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has served a show-cause notice on former Pakistan Test wicket-keeper Rashid Latif to explain why he refused to receive a letter from the match referee, raising objection on the bowling action of his team Port Qasim Authority’s fast bowler Zohaib Shera.

The letter was given when PQA was facing Lahore Blues in a match of the ongoing Quaid-i-Azam Trophy here.

When contacted Rashid admitted he had refused to accept the letter from the match referee and added he had already written letters to PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed giving his stance on the issue.

It is however learnt that the PCB did not accept Rashid’s stance and has now served a notice on him.

“During the match between Lahore Blues and Port Qasim from Nov 2-5 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, I got very disappointed rather shocked when the match referee (Aziz-ur-Rehman) sent me a report, describing the action of Zohaib Shera, terming some of his deliveries illegal. I didn’t accept the report and refused to sign it,” Rashid told Dawn.

“As a coach I am sure that Zohaib’s action is immaculate. I have video clips too, which I want to share with the domestic cricket committee and also with the chairman and chief operating officer,” he added.

“I want to know how the match referee assessed Zohaib’s action. Further, I want both umpires to be banned for at least for two months,” he demanded.

“I don’t trust the match referee and I have already made a formal complaint in this regard,” he said.

“Actually, the bowling action of Port Qasim’s off-spinner Tabish Nawab was reported twice last year and we acknowledged umpires and match referee’s report. But now even after one year neither the PCB nor the National Cricket Academy assisted him (Tabish) in rectifying his bowling action,” the former captain complained.

“I personally contacted the NCA but their main coaches and other management staff were on tours with Pakistan under-19 and ‘A’ teams,” he added.

“Tabish came to Lahore with the team and we played one match at Lahore but at that time the NCA management was busy in Pakistan U-19 championship final at Mirpur,” Rashid maintained.

“They don’t have equipments and video analysts for Tabish Nawab so how can I believe they will assist Zohaib Shera this time?” he asked.

“In view of my experience and cricket knowledge, Zohaib’s bowling action is legal. I have dart-fish software and slow-moving action camera to judge his action,” he said.

“I have sent all videos and reports to the PCB chairman and Subhan about this wrong call by the match referee and I urge the PCB to ban such incompetent match referees,” he demanded.

When asked if the PCB’s rules allowed him not to accept a notice from the match referee, Rashid said he had no knowledge about such rules but his past experience was bitter and he did not want to spoil the career of another bowler.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2015