KARACHI, Nov 23: Pakistan cricket on Thursday received some good news from bowling experts in Australia who informed that banned medium-pacer Shabbir Ahmed was showing improvement with his action.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said they have got positive preliminary reports by Australian biomechanic experts about Shabbir’s action who was handed a one-year ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last December for his illegal bowling action.

“The initial reports we have got from Daryl Foster, the Australian bowling coach, about Shabbir is that there is marked improvement in his action,” Saleem Altaf, PCB Director Cricket Operations said.

Shabbir, who has taken 51 wickets in 10 Tests, was slapped with a ban by the ICC after he was reported twice for his suspect action in 2005 against the West Indies and England.

An appeal for a review of his action in January this year was also rejected by a special committee of the ICC.

The PCB is keen on ensuring that Shabbir resumes his international career when the ban ends on December 19 particularly after the recent setbacks of doping bans on fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

“Shabbir has always been a very good bowler at the top level and he has an impressive record. He has worked hard on removing defects in his action and trying to meet the ICC requirements of bowling with elbow bent upto 15 degrees,” Saleem Altaf said. - Agencies