PCB requests rejected
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday rejected Pakistan's requests for dealing with paceman Shoaib Akhtar who was reported for a suspect bowling action during the Sharjah Cup
14-Nov-2001
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday rejected
Pakistan's requests for dealing with paceman Shoaib Akhtar
who was reported for a suspect bowling action during the
Sharjah Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, last week, had objected to ICC's
decision of implementing Stage Two when it appointed Michael
Holding as Shoaib's bowling advisor. The PCB maintained that
the ICC should first decide if it believed the credibility
and authenticity of Australian Institute of Human Resources.
The Perth-based institute, in its report, has said Shoaib's
bowling arm was deformed at birth giving an illusion of
throwing.
The PCB had also said it was not in a position to bear the
three-month expenses of Holding though the former West
Indian quickie was more than welcome to the country in any
other capacity.
"The ICC is not reviewing its decision to appoint Michael
Holding to work with Shoaib. "The cost involved with Stage
Two will be at the PCB's expense," ICC's communication
manager Mark Harrison said in a statement to Dawn.
Shoaib was reported for the third time since December 1999
for a suspect bowling action. Holding has to submit his
report to the ICC and the PCB by Feb 7. Until that time,
Shoaib was cleared to play but would be banned for one year
if reported again.
The PCB is facing a financial crunch after it was denied the
right to earn estimated $30million this year in lieu of
cancellation of Indian and New Zealand tours. However, the
ICC said the extent of Holding's work with Shoaib will be by
agreement between the PCB, Michael and Shoaib.
"The consultancy can take place at any suitable and
appropriate location, providing that facilities required by
the advisor are available and to the required standard," the
ICC said.
The ICC said before Holding began working with Shoaib, he
would be fully briefed by the ICC and supplied with all
relevant background and reference material. "These will
include the report compiled in Western Australia during
Stage One of the reporting and review process, together with
video footage of Shoaib bowling in Sharjah and elsewhere as
required."
"The ICC consulted with many former Test players and
captains in developing the new process and believe it
represents a fair but effective solution to the problem.
"This is a sensitive area and we have put forward a system
that offers help and assistance to bowlers suspected of
having problems with their actions.
"These three stages give ample opportunity for a player to
overcome these and demonstrate conclusively that his action
is entirely legal, while remaining within the game."
Starting-point:The PCB has inquired the starting-point for
Holding who has been appointed as bowling advisor for Shoaib
Akhtar.
In a four-page letter, publicized Tuesday, the PCB contests
that match referee Denis Lindsay has not pointed out the
deliveries which have concerned him. "Normally, referee
would give more details. For example in John Reid's report
on Shoaib, the short pitched delivery was singled out.
"In case of the report on Shahid Afridi by Barry Jarman, the
faster one was specificially mentioned. The report on Shoaib
Malik also raises doubts specifically on the delivery `which
goes slightly from left to off. "In the present case, this
is not so. In fact para D sounds quite tentative when it
says `if anything is wrong'."
The PCB argues that the technical background to Lindsay's
report is the same in the University of Western Australia
report, "then we are certainly at a loss to find useful work
for Mr Michael Holding. "If there is any other reason behind
the "concern", it is not stated, in the absence of which, Mr
Holding will not have a starting point.
"And if Mr Holding is required to review Shoaib's whole
bowling action, then that, I am afraid, has already been
done, at a state-of-the-art facility."
Earlier this year, University of Western Australia declared
that "Akhtar does not throw based on the biomechanical
assessment of his bowling action.
"Unfortunately, the abnormlities in his bowling limb give
the impression of a semi-throwing motion when viewed from a
single location and the addition extension recorded
following the arm attaining the horizonal position is a
manifestation of his hypermobile elbow joint."