KARACHI, Sept 15: Bowling great Wasim Akram says England should apologise for accusing his team of cheating in 1992 when they used the reverse swing — the same action which helped England win the Ashes. England owe us an apology in a big way,” Wasim said.

“When we did the reverse swing against England in 1992, they were great moaners and groaners of the world, they termed it as cheating. And now when they achieved an Ashes win through reverse swing, it’s an art,” Wasim said.

Wasim and his pace partner Waqar Younis shattered England by causing a reverse swing in the ball during a 1992 tour, helping Pakistan to a 2-1 win.

England’s tabloid press accused the pair, who took 41 wickets between them, of cheating and ball tampering.

But England used the same technique to dethrone Australia as Ashes champions after a hard-fought 2-1 series.

“Now English bowlers know it, it’s the art of reverse swing. Still, I am happy that they have finally realised the importance of reverse swing,” Wasim said.

Wasim, who has taken 414 Test and a world record of 502 one-day wickets in his career, said Pakistani bowlers should be given credit for the reverse swing.

“This art has spread only because of Pakistani bowlers,” he said.

“Imran Khan taught me how to reverse swing the ball, I told Waqar and we mastered it,” he said.

He said English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff learnt a lot from him while they both played county cricket for Lancashire in the late 1990s.

“He learnt how to hide the shine and he did that during the Ashes,” he said.

However, “Had I not told him, he would have learnt it anyway, but I am glad that he has learnt well.

“They have mastered the art of reverse swing and Australians had no clue as to how to cope with the reverse swing,” Wasim said.—AFP