Saeed Ajmal banned from bowling

Pakistan news
Saeed Ajmal banned from bowling
ESPNcricinfo staff
September 9, 2014


Samiuddin: Appealing Ajmal's ban could be tricky

Recent drive against faulty actions

August 2014 - Sohag Gazi reported, to be tested in Cardiff
August 2014 - Prosper Utseya reported, to undergo testing
August 2014 - Saeed Ajmal reported, banned in September
July 2014 - Kane Williamson banned after tests found his action illegal
July 2014 - Sachithra Senanayake banned, undergoes remedial work
December 2013 - Shane Shillingford suspended from bowling, cleared in March 2014; Marlon Samuels prohibited from bowling quicker deliveries
October 2013 - Johan Botha cleared by Cricket Australia after being reported during a domestic match
May 2013 - ECB suspends Glenn Querl, Jack Taylor from bowling
April 2013 - CA bars seamer Cameron Gannon

In a huge blow to Pakistan, offspinner Saeed Ajmal has been banned from bowling in international cricket by the ICC after his action was deemed to be illegal for all deliveries. Ajmal, who has been Pakistan's lead spinner in all formats in recent years, was reported after the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle last month.

The decision to ban him was taken after an ICC accredited team of bio-mechanics experts tested his action at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. Ajmal can apply to the ICC for a re-assessment at any time after modifying his action.

"An independent analysis has found the bowling action of Pakistan's offspinner Saeed Ajmal to be illegal and, as such, the player has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect," the ICC said. "The analysis revealed that all his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations."

Ajmal, however, was hopeful that a medical condition - the natural bend in his arm because of an accident - would work in his favour when the appeal is made to the ICC's bowling review group.

"I am positive about this and not worried because I believe I can make the World Cup," Ajmal told reporters in Faisalabad. "They are yet to consider my medical reports and once they do it I am sure there shouldn't be any problem. If one has a medical problem then what can he do? So I am 100% positive and hoping for the best."

Ajmal is the No. 1 ranked bowler in the ICC ODI rankings and is among the top ten in Tests and Twenty20 internationals. He his the highest wicket-taker across formats in the last three years.

This was the second instance of Ajmal being reported for a suspect action. In April 2009, the bowler had been reported while bowling the doosra, and was cleared the following month.

The issue of suspect bowling actions had come up during the ICC cricket committee meeting in June, where there was a general consensus among members that the current methods used to detect illegal actions were imperfect. It had recommended changes to help match officials get more support from biomechanists in order to identify illegal actions with "more confidence".

In the last few months, Sri Lanka offspinner Sachithra Senanayake and New Zealand's Kane Williamson were reported and subsequently banned from bowling due to illegal bowling actions.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

He has to remodel but at 37 would he just pack it in?

He is not time limited so he can get tested before the world cup.

All this started when the ICC legitimized Murali's action by implementing the "15 degrees" limitation.  The old rule/law should have prevailed which stated that no bending and straightening of the elbow of any degree is allowed.  Period.

Now here we are 17 years later and every pelter (read 5 out of 10 spinner) claims they are within this 15 degrees limitation.  It's ridiculous and now the ICC is in a hasty fit to put down their own Frankenstein monster.

I do feel sorry for Ajmal as his career is all but over, but let's face it folks, he is a pelter.

This will indeed be a Huge Blow for Pakistan ahead of the World Cup.The hopes they laid on him are all shattered.We are the happiest ones because we had already voiced our concerns over the bowling angle.It was clearly visible,but they were keeping it under wraps for long.
His career is all but over now.
Get lost Ajmal,you are a disgrace..!!!

Wow Ajmal banned from bowling. Huge blow for Pakistan with the world cup around the corner. The icc really needs to review the rules because this is becoming way too often now. Its always of the lower ranked teams getting players banned especially when the bowler is successful.

I smell a BCCI conspiracy .... :-[

Rowe,

No! Bowlers just need to learn to bowl within the rules of the game, preferably round armed.

As a boy and for many years after I never saw chuckers.

Since Murali they have become ten to the penny and it is poor.

Not down to the ICC mate.

Ajmal is lucky he has only now been pulled up.

snoops is right.  deh shud have banned out Murali and now deh have a Frankenstein.

but I dont think deh mind that.  deh are after all are a bureaucracy and as such  are expert at making useless and pointless wuk to make them look useful in the public eye.

toss all the pelters...ALL and return the law to what it was.  there is no sweeter sight in  cricket than a perfect bowling action..like Holding and Hall.  Sweet.

Cooper might be in a lil trouble but Narine seems fine to me

I have bad news for you Maps.  Narine PELTS!  Watch that super over where he bowled to Pooran.  5 out of his 6 deliveries were pelts


The only thing protecting Narine from joining Ajmal is his IPL contract.  Once he loses that then it's buh bye.