Ajmal dismisses Willis’ suspect action charge

Dubai (ANI): Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has dismissed former England fast bowler Bob Willis’ charge of him having a suspect action, especially when it comes to bowling the “doosra”.

“I am just concentrating on my bowling and, it is basically up to the umpires and referees to say if there is a problem with my action,” he said after snaring seven England wickets in the first Test being played here.

“Does it trouble me that someone in England questions my action? It’s no problem. Such questions were raised against Saqlain Mushtaq (former off-spinner) as well and he played county cricket for years with no problem about his action,” The Telegraph quoted him, as adding.

Ajmal described his seven-wicket haul at a cost of 55 runs as “best bowling of my life”.

Willis, a former England captain, queried the legality of Ajmal’s bowling. He said: “The off-spinner is fairly orthodox. The delivery that I have a problem with is the doosra. The ICC have accommodated this delivery - they changed the rules to allow these bowlers to bend their elbow 15 degrees, which is what makes it so difficult for the batsmen.”

Willis even questioned why Ajmal was wearing a long-sleeved shirt on Monday, suggesting it was an attempt to cover the bend in his arm rather than anything to do with playing during the Arabian winter.

“Now, why do all these bowlers bowl with their sleeves buttoned round their wrist?” he said.

“Why aren’t they wearing short-sleeved shirts? Why aren’t they wearing vests like Australian rules football? We can see their arms. The answer is clear isn’t it, they are bending their elbow.”

The ICC’s biomechanical experts, who declared his arm does not kink more than the 15 degrees allowed under the laws, approved Ajmal’s action in May 2009 but their clearance can be revoked at any stage, which would force him to undergo remedial work.