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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will use all modern methods including a functional biomechanics laboratory to stamp out the menace of bowlers with illegal bowling actions in domestic cricket.
Former captain Intikhab Alam who heads the PCB’s domestic cricket operations told PTI on Wednesday that they were also plans to have the suspended Saeed Ajmal take bio-mechanic tests with a correct bowling action before the World Cup.
“What we are facing in Pakistan is a menace as far as bowlers with illegal bowling actions are concerned. The illegal bowling action committee has already identified 35 to 40 such bowlers and we are also taking the problem of ball tampering very seriously,” he said.
“The committee has issued strict instructions to all umpires and match officials in domestic cricket to report any bowler with a hint of bowling action problems while anyone found tampering with the ball will be barred from the game,” Alam said.
He pointed out that the problem of bowlers with illegal bowling actions which had been highlighted more so after the suspension of Saeed Ajmal was a worldwide problem and not restricted to Pakistan. “In Sri Lanka, they set up a committee and they found around 18 bowlers with problems,” he said.
Alam appreciated the International Cricket Council (ICC) changing its protocol to deal with bowlers with illegal actions.
“It is a good thing generally because nowadays this problem is cropping up more because off-spinners are using mostly chest on actions and not side on actions. The bowler who has a side on action and his feet pivots properly on landing will never face such problems.”
Alam said most young bowlers had modelled themselves on the modern day greats like Muralitharan, Ajmal or Narine and were facing problems.
“Besides setting up the biomechanics lab at the national cricket academy in Lahore with 22 high speed cameras and related software we are also planning to import a software from Australia which can be used to detect bowlers who break the 15 degree elbow extension limit allowed by the ICC. The software includes using a wrist scanner on the bowler and computer software and cameras,” Alam said.
Alam said that Ajmal’s suspension was a big blow to Pakistan cricket before the World Cup. “But the board is trying to facilitate him in every way. Because we want him to take a biomechanics test with the ICC before the World Cup,” he added.
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