Pakistan ban 16 domestic bowlers

Pakistan cricket officials yesterday suspended 16 domestic bowlers with suspect actions in a major crackdown against chucking following the ban of ace spinner Saeed Ajmal.Ajmal was suspended earlier this month after he was found to straighten his elbow up to 43 degrees, well above the prescribed limit of 15.
The ban jolted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) into action to avoid further international embarrassment.
“We have 29 bowlers reported for suspect bowling actions in the current home cricket season and half of them were reported twice, so we have banned around 16 from domestic matches,” director of domestic cricket Inthikab Alam told reporters.
“All these bowlers will not be allowed to play in domestic matches and will go to the national cricket academy to get their actions altered,” said Alam, a former Pakistan captain and leg-spinner.
To deal with the problem, the PCB has revived its biomechanics laboratory in Lahore this month after it was left idle for seven years over allegations of financial irregularities in buying its machinery.
Ajmal was the seventh Pakistani reported for suspect actions in international matches, joining Shahid Afridi, Shabbir Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Riaz Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Shoaib Akhtar.
Even the two spinners called up to replace Ajmal while he undergoes remedial work — Atif Maqbool and Adnan Rasool — have been reporte
Speaking separately, Captain Misbah-ul Haq said he was “praying” for Ajmal, who is ranked the world’s best one-day bowler, to return soon.
“First of all I will pray Ajmal returns to the team for the World Cup,” he said.
Australia and New Zealand co-host the mega event from February 14 to March 29.
“But we also have to be ready to play without him. If a player is not there you have to cope with that situation. There is no doubt he is a great bowler and will be missed.”
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket said Thursday it will allow suspended off-spin bowler Sachithra Senanayake to play domestic cricket as he is making good progress in remedying his bowling action.
The sport’s governing body said in a statement that Senanayake had worked with some experts in University of Western Australia and had made “tremendous improvement” and continues training with his coaches.
In the meantime Sri Lanka Cricket will allow him to play in the local mercantile cricket tournament starting next month as per International Cricket Council guidelines, a significant step for the bowler to return to the game.
The ICC guidelines say a suspended bowler could play domestic cricket with the permission and supervision of the home board.
Senanayake was reported to be having a suspect action during Sri Lanka’s tour to England in May and was suspended from bowling in international cricket in July after tests showed that he was exceeding the allowed 15-degree elbow extension while delivering the ball.
Before the suspension Senanayake had played 37 one-day internationals for Sri Lanka and captured 40 wickets. In 17 Twenty20 internationals he took 18 wickets. (CA)

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