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Saeed Ajmal’s new bowling action gives Worcestershire no guarantees Saeed Ajmal’s new bowling action gives Worcestershire no guarantees
(about 3 hours later)
Saeed Ajmal is poised to return to county cricket this summer but his club admit there are doubts about the effectiveness of the Pakistan spinner’s remodelled action.Saeed Ajmal is poised to return to county cricket this summer but his club admit there are doubts about the effectiveness of the Pakistan spinner’s remodelled action.
The 37-year-old claimed 63 wickets in only nine matches last season, helping to power Worcestershire to promotion from Division Two, only to be banned in September after being called for throwing during a Test in Sri Lanka the previous month. The 37-year-old claimed 63 wickets in nine matches last season, helping to power Worcestershire to promotion from Division Two, only to be banned in September after being called for throwing during a Test in Sri Lanka the previous month.
The news that official testing showed his elbow was flexing up to 40 degrees – the official limit is 15 degrees – prompted the Essex coach Paul Grayson, whose side missed out on promotion after finishing one place behind Worcestershire, to claim county umpires should have been “braver” in calling him sooner. The news that official testing showed his elbow was flexing up to 40 degrees – the official limit is 15 degrees – prompted the Essex coach, Paul Grayson, whose side missed out on promotion after finishing one place behind Worcestershire, to claim county umpires should have been “braver” in calling him sooner.
Ajmal has since worked hard to remedy his action with help from the former international off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and while he was cleared to resume bowling in February after official ICC testing in Chennai, he was not included in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign. Ajmal has since worked hard to remedy his action with help from the former international off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and, though he was cleared to resume bowling in February after official ICC testing in Chennai, he was not included in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign.
Worcestershire wasted no time in re-signing Ajmal but are now waiting to discover whether Pakistan require him for their tour of Bangladesh in April and May.Worcestershire wasted no time in re-signing Ajmal but are now waiting to discover whether Pakistan require him for their tour of Bangladesh in April and May.
The club’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, admits Ajmal may not be the bowler he was before the ban. “We’re confident he’ll be out there bowling for us at some stage. I’ve seen him a little bit on footage, he’s quite different with a side-on action, a bit more orthodox and gets through the crease a bit more,” said Rhodes at the launch of the LV= County Championship at New Road. The club’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, admits Ajmal may not be the bowler he was before the ban. “We’re confident he’ll be out there bowling for us at some stage. I’ve seen him a little bit on footage. He’s quite different with a side-on action, a bit more orthodox and gets through the crease a bit more,” said Rhodes at the launch of the County Championship at New Road.
“He’s had to change quite a lot in his action. When he failed it was a tough call for him but it’s typical of the man that he’s gone away and bowled thousands of balls. Will he be as effective? We don’t know yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”“He’s had to change quite a lot in his action. When he failed it was a tough call for him but it’s typical of the man that he’s gone away and bowled thousands of balls. Will he be as effective? We don’t know yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Yorkshire have decided not to wait to discover whether batsman Younus Khan will be required by Pakistan. The champions, who had signed the 37-year-old as an early season overseas player on the understanding he would make himself unavailable, have been left frustrated by a recent change of heart and cancelled his contract. The India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara will replace him at Headingley, subject to a work permit. Yorkshire have decided not to wait to discover whether the batsman Younus Khan will be required by Pakistan. The champions, who had signed the 37-year-old as an early-season overseas player on the understanding he would make himself unavailable for the tour, have been left frustrated by a recent change of heart and cancelled his contract. The India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara will replace him at Headingley, subject to a work permit.