ICC Should Ban the Doosra

http://www.bigstarcricket.com/bs/op...rticle_83.shtml

ICC Should Ban the Doosra
Dec 16, 2005 | Mushtaq Mohammed

First of all I want to congratulate Pakistan on a wonderful Test series victory over a strong England team. The players were united, full of spirit and were clearly fighting for one another, which hasn’t always been the case in our cricket.

But in this column I want to focus on one of the more negative aspects to come out of the series, which was the reporting of Shabbir Ahmed and Shoaib Malik for having suspect actions during the first Test.

Rather than dwell on their shortcomings, I feel that as both have previously been cleared by the International Cricket Council, it is unfortunate this should arise again. It seems the ICC doesn’t know the best way to handle suspect bowling actions.

However, it is not all the ICC’s fault as much of what we see in first-class cricket should not have been allowed to pass through the system domestically in the first place.

For the last couple of years I have been managing the Pakistan Customs team in domestic cricket. To my horror a fair few of the young fast bowlers’ actions throughout the country looked suspect when they were trying to bowl bouncers. And even more - about 75 per cent - of the off-spinners definitely chuck when they bowl their doosra.

I brought this worrying matter to the attention of General Tauqir Zia when he was chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and warned him that if we didn’t do anything about this, we will soon become the ‘Nation of Chuckers’. But I am sorry to say, nobody paid any attention.

I’m sure Murali and Harbhajan will merrily bowl the doosra in the current Test series in India, at least until it is called into question once more, which it undoubtedly will be at some point again.

Ever since this new delivery was introduced, many an off-spinner’s action looked suspect. Saqlain Mushtaq was the first one who bowled it and had great success with it, picking up so many wickets in county cricket for Surrey with that ball. Saqy was a great bowler but he still chucked that delivery.

Then Murali and Harbhajan started bowling it. Since these three off-spinners bowled it, it has been shown on the TV all over and the youngsters watching were sure to copy their idols. This resulted in most of the off-spinners who copy them, looking as if they are chucking.

It is the way the delivery is being bowled that is in question. I wonder whether this ball can be bowled to the laws of cricket? A bowler at the time of delivery has to withdraw his left shoulder to extreme left and then bring his bowling arm through (right shoulder) almost parallel to his left, so now he is almost chest on in his delivery stride before he releases the ball, while turning his wrist almost 60 degrees before letting the ball go.

In conclusion, it is the delivery that is suspect rather than any bowler. For this reason I implore the ICC to ban this controversial delivery. As for the other suspect actions, it is an indictment on the ICC when the same bowler is constantly cleared and reported again. I understand it is a difficult issue but they need to think again on how to deal with suspect actions as they clearly still don’t have the answers.

Bigstarcricket columnist Mushtaq Mohammed is a former Pakistan captain and coach who played 57 Tests and was once the youngest Test cricketer and Test centurion. He also coached his country to the World Cup final in 1999.

i dont believe it he says saqlain chucks as well

This is the first time I am hearing someone say that Saqlain chucked his Doosra too...he better have some ground to stand on

After all he was the coach in the past, why didn't he pull Saqlain out of the squad and worked with him on that issue...bitter old ex-player, me thinks

he's clearly gone senile, paychecks drying up from pcb leads our former cricketers coming up with total bakwass.

saqi chucking the doosra.....thats some news!

shut the hell up mushtaq! Doosra is a saqlain invention!

What!!! Saqlain Chucking the doosra..

Ban the doosra when Saqi can bowl it perfectly fine? Saqlain invented the ball and his action is perfectly legal, its when these other guys started jumping on the bandwagon trying to copy it looked suspect, there is no way you can ban a ball when someone can bowl it without infringing on the laws.

Not once was Saqlains action ever questioned by any umpire, referee or player, this despite him playing hundreds of matches for Pakistan and Surrey.

I have my doubts over some bowlers when they bowl the doosra, but no doubt about it, Saqi's doosra was "clean".

Saqi is the only bowler who`s doosra was not chucked!

Unfortunately that cannot be said of all the others who have bowled it. Some chuck it more than others but nevertheless they are all chucked.

They all chuck. man there is no way you can bowl it with out chucking.

Rubbish!

Name a single umpire, player or commentator who has accused saqi of chucking while he was playing. Every other bowler who has bowled the doosra has on occsions been accused by all three.

IT'S funny how even ppl at the icc have said that saqi didnt chuck his doosra. Wonder how much $$$ it took for MM to say this

This guy talks from back side. Saqi never chucked and never will. He's clean as any fast bowler in history of cricket. This guy probably had few drinks before writing. He coaches a look club not far from my house. He's so arrogant and and dumb.

I think there needs to be a rule change to also allow for baseball style 'pitching'.
Then we wouldn't have all this controversy.