Banned Pakistan bowler Saeed Ajmal is targeting a return to international cricket at the World Cup, but he believes that the crackdown on suspect actions is too strict.
The ace offspinner is encouraged by early testing on his action since being reported and banned during a series against Sri Lanka in September. His time on the sidelines has caused him to miss the two Test wins over Australia and the current series against New Zealand where Pakistan lead 1-0, heading into this week's third Test.
Ajmal has been working with biomechanist Dr Mark King in Britain to improve his action. He plans to undertake private testing on his action next week with the hope of passing an official ICC test in December that would clear him in time to make a play for Pakistan's World Cup campaign in New Zealand and Australia, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Ajmal said that he is very pleased with the assessment of Dr King, adding that it was very heartening to hear what he had to say. He had been expecting a reduction to about 30 degrees, but said that to see that some deliveries are down to 20 degrees is fantastic and positive news for him.
Also, the offspinner said that what is really encouraging is that most of his deliveries are now within the 15 degree limit.
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Ajmal said that the ICC's rules of course stipulate that all deliveries have to be under 15 degrees and he is very confident that he would achieve that target with the help of former Pakistan offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq and all the other individuals who are helping and guiding him.
Ajmal said that he had been tested regularly in the past and felt there was a frustrating lack of consistency in the results. He believed the 15-degree limit was too strict on bowlers.
Ajmal believes 99 percent of bowlers these days would fail the 15 degree test for at least one or more of their deliveries.
He also said that that the technology being used in match situations to assess bowling actions is too strict.
Ajmal added that he believes they should use the normal television cameras to assess their bowling actions, but instead what is being used are cameras that can virtually see the blood running though their bodies.
