Hafeez to undergo reassessment of bowling action

By
AFP
|
Hafeez to undergo reassessment of bowling action
Karachi: Pakistani all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez will undergo a reassessment test on his bowling action in India on April 9 to try to revive his struggling career, a statement said Wednesday.

The 34-year-old off-spinner´s action was deemed illegal after a biomechanical test at Loughborough University in England last December.

He was reported during a Test against New Zealand last November, badly hitting Pakistan´s preparations for the World Cup which ended with Australia´s triumph on Sunday.

Before Hafeez, Pakistan´s ace spinner Saeed Ajmal was also suspended for an illegal bowling action.

Hafeez was selected for the World Cup purely as a batsman but had to be withdrawn after injuring a calf muscle.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said Hafeez would go to India for a re-test following approval by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"On PCB´s request for retesting on Hafeez´s bowling action, the ICC has set April 9 as the date, with Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India being the venue," said a statement.

Hafeez´s elbow extension exceeded the 15 degree level of tolerance permitted by the ICC regulations and was thus declared an illegal action.

He underwent remedial work with former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and also reportedly cleared an unofficial test in Chennai in January.

Hafeez has 43 Test wickets and 122 in one-day internationals as well as 46 in Twenty20 internationals.

Ajmal passed his reassessment test in January and will be available for selection for Pakistan´s tour of Bangladesh later this month.

Pakistan are due to play two Tests, three one-dayers and a Twenty20 international.

Javeria Wadood, a member of the Pakistan women´s cricket team, will also appear for a separate re-test of her bowling action.

Javeria, who has played 59 one-dayers and 56 Twenty20s, was suspended in 2010.

The ICC launched a crackdown on bowlers with illegal actions in June last year, suspending nine in the next six months in an attempt to clear the game of chuckers. (AFP)