If Murali Can Bowl, Everyone Can: Wasim Akram...

[Ilyas]

Wasim Akram, in his interview with Saeed Gaddi of www.sangeetradio.com in Houston, said that International Umpires and ICC are unnecessarily after Pakistani bowlers like Shabbir and Shoaib Malik. He said that if Murali is allowed to bowl, then Pakistani bowlers are no where near chucking...Wasim added it is up-to Pakistan Cricket Board to take a strong stance with ICC to have all the Pakistani bowlers cleared once for all, just like Ranatunga and Sri Lankan Cricket Board did for Murali...Answering another question, Wasim said he has been hired by ESPN to do commentary for them and that if PCB will ask him to do anything for Pakistani Cricket, he will present himself for that; but up-till now PCB has not asked him to do anything…Wasim said he informs about bowling any Cricketer of any ethnic or national background; if someone asks him, he gives some tips. Indian bowlers asked him for advise and he gave them; however he has not done formal coaching of the Indian players…

[Big Mac]

Well I'm afraid Wasim bhai is in the wrong there. Murali has been cleared on numerous occasions, it's only his doosra that is dubious but his standard offbreak is well withing legal limits.

Shabbir is pretty blatant, no conspiracy about it, he's lucky Hair didn't no-ball him him in the middle of the game if I'm to be honest. Malik has looked very dodgy on some of the occasions I've seen him bowl as well.

[Ilyas]

This is your opinion Big Mac Sahab and Wasim Akram, who is one of the best cricketers of all time; his statement is totally different than yours. It is difference of opinion and one can accept whose ever statement one feels is alright...However the only difference is Wasim is looking at it from a professional point of view and from the eyes of a person, who knows what really happens in front and behind the scene in the world of cricket...

[Tariq Jamshed]

If Murali can bowl, anyone can. Quite a bold but true statement by Wasim. He has a point.

I doubt though he will actually make a big public statement like that. An interview to a radio station in US is one thing. Something reported all over the world is entirely different.

[DM]

So Wasim Akram has said "If Murali can bowl, anyone can". Not exactly rigorously-tested evidence is it?

Akram has just given us his impression. A truly amazing bowler, but his stature shouldn't confer any merit whatsoever to his above opinion.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Ilyas This is your opinion Big Mac Sahab and Wasim Akram, who is one of the best cricketers of all time; his statement is totally different than yours. It is difference of opinion and one can accept whose ever statement one feels is alright...However the only difference is Wasim is looking at it from a professional point of view and from the eyes of a person, who knows what really happens in front and behind the scene in the world of cricket...

Well no it's been shown in lab tests on his action that Murali's stock delivery is well within the limits and the documentary he did with Channel 4 bowling with a brace also proved that in his case you cannot trust your eyes to make a judgement on the legality of his action so Wasim Akram is wrong in this case. It really is that simple.

How great a player Wasim was doesn't really change the validity of anything he says, Ian Botham was one of the greatest players of is generation but that doesn't stop him being a completely useless commentator/pundit does it?

[Farhad]

Big Mac

The Bio-Mechanic Testing procedure and Protocol of ICC for spinners is nowhere as reliable as those for fast bowlers. The expert undertaking the Test has to make a subjective call as to whether the ball is turning and of the same quality as the one the bowler bowls in match-conditions. It will take time but ICC would get to their aim of making it as air-tight as it is for pacers.

I agree with Wasim.

[Bailan]

I am in agreement with Wasim, Murli is the most blunt chuck around, whether its medical reasons or anyother.

i think its little to do with actually chucking and is more to do with how powerful is your cricket board. Look at australians or English .... they don't ever get called ... ever ... never

[Big Mac]

Murali bowled with a brace on that stopped him moving his arm at all and was still turning it a mile, even the doosra was turning a long way but it STILL looked like he was chucking it.

In his case you cannot possibly trust your eyes to make a judgement on his action and anybody who still moans about his action looking awful is either unaware of the tests or they know what the tests have show but decide to ignore it to try and smear his reputation making themselves look foolish in the process.

No doubt if Shabbir's action is assessed and he is cleared Wasim will be the first person to use the tests to defend him in future, if he's found guilty of chucking he'll just blame a big racist conspiracy by the whiter nations in the ICC.