Lahore, Pakistan: Suspended Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal had an average elbow extension of more than twice the allowable limit during testing of his bowling action in Australia last month.
Ajmal recorded an astonishing 40 degrees with a relatively small standard deviation of 2.5 degrees at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, according to the 23-page International Cricket Council (ICC) report on the world’s top-ranked One Day International bowler. The rules allow for an elbow extension of 15 degrees.
Ajmal was suspended on Tuesday by the ICC for a suspect action, putting in doubt his appearance at the World Cup in five months.
None of the deliveries by Ajmal during the eight overs of biomechanical testing — some overs were not of the usual six balls — came close to meeting regulations, the report said.
During testing, Ajmal bowled off-spin from over and around the wicket, the doosra, and quicker balls.
Pakistan Cricket Board chief medical officer Dr. Sohail Salim attended the testing, during which Ajmal was monitored by 27 cameras, including two high-speed cinematic cameras and three high-speed mobile video cameras.
The experts were satisfied with Ajmal’s replication of his suspected deliveries from when he was reported during the lost first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle last month.
The assessment said Ajmal appeared to have hypermobility of the right wrist due to an earlier injury.
He was previously reported in 2009 for his doosra — a delivery that spins away from right-handed batsman — before he was cleared.
Pakistan, who will not appeal the suspension, will attempt to rehabilitate Ajmal at its National Cricket Academy in Lahore from Monday, and has gathered former leading bowlers, including off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, to help. Pakistan will decide after three weeks whether to ask the ICC to reconsider the suspension.
