ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s young pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed has been suspended from bowling because of problems with his action, Pakistan cricket authorities said on Thursday.
The 29-year-old Shabbir’s bowling action was reported for the third time since 1999 during the first Test in the West Indies in May. “The tests carried out on Shabbir’s bowling action in England show that flexion of his bowling arm is above the International Cricket Council (ICC) tolerance level of 15 degrees,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director Saleem Altaf told Reuters. “Since the 21-day period allowed by the ICC to analyse his action and correct it and send them a report for clearance have passed, he can’t bowl now,” he added.
Shabbir cannot bowl again until the ICC’s bowling action review committee clears his corrected action, Altaf said, adding the PCB would soon start work on it. “We are consulting bio-mechanic specialists and other experts now and will decide on a future course of action after taking advice from them,” Altaf stated.
Shabbir, having taken 46 Test and 33 one-day wickets so far, was sent to England shortly after the West Indies tour to undergo tests under an ICC-appointed bio-mechanic expert.
Pakistan’s another fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and all-rounder Shoaib Malik have also been reported for suspect actions in recent times. “We are very concerned with this trend of our bowlers being reported for suspect actions. It’s disturbing and we’ve to look at our domestic cricket for remedial measures,” Altaf said.
Meanwhile, Altaf said Shabbir was a doubtful starter for the forthcoming Pak-England home series owing to the fresh report on his bowling action.
“I can’t say any thing at the moment about Shabbir’s participation in the series against England unless his action is improved. We’ll think over it and chalk out the plan in a couple of days,” he maintained.
To a question about the final Itinerary of the Pak-England series he said that the Chairman PCB Shaharyar Khan was still in touch with the ECB and was hopeful the ECB might agree to play in Karachi so nothing could be said unless final schedule is received.
Talking about Shoaib Akhtar’s fitness Altaf said the PCB was following his fitness conditions. “He was having a calf muscle problem but I’ve been told he would play on Sunday for his county in England so we would’ve to wait and see,” he said.
About the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Altaf said he had almost completed the report on the NCA and would be discussed in the meeting after the PCB chairman’s arrival who is expected to return home on July 22.
Altaf added that Pakistan team coach Bob Woolmer was due to return back on Friday (today), adding that the PCB had no plan to appoint any bowling coach or assistant coach for the national cricket team.
not again!