PCB seeks to weed out suspect actions in domestic game

In the wake of Saeed Ajmal being reported for a suspect action, the PCB has decided to clamp down on the problem of questionable actions right from the domestic level. Match officials have been directed to identify suspect actions in the upcoming domestic season, and the PCB has formed a five-man committee to analyse the actions identified.

The panel includes the ICC elite panel umpire Aleem Dar, former chief selector Iqbal Qasim, NCA head coach Mohammad Akram, national spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed and GM sports medicine Dr Sohail Saleem.

"The PCB has decided to launch a campaign to eradicate illegal bowling actions," the PCB's spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. "There may be some bowlers who are young and need minor remedial work, so we formed a committee to help them clean up their actions.

"We have a list of bowlers and we have encouraged the umpires and match referees to keep a close eye on bowlers with suspect actions. If the bowlers are reported, they will go through a procedure at the NCA, which the five-man committee will oversee before clearing them."

The decision comes following the ICC's recent drive to step up the process of identifying suspect bowling actions. This year, besides Ajmal, the actions of Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake, New Zealand's Kane Williamson, Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya and Bangladesh' Sohag Gazi have been reported.

Ajmal underwent testing of his action on Monday in Brisbane and is likely to rejoin the Pakistan squad in Sri Lanka for the third and final ODI.

The PCB-run NCA is in possession of a biomechanics system, but the machinery is not in use. A lab was temporarily activated for a brief period at the NCA indoor school in 2008, but it was later shut down. There is no suggestion that the PCB will revive the lab for the testing process, and the bowlers' actions are more likely to be analysed by human observation.