TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 SPORTS Doosra not illegal, says inventor Saqlain KARACHI: Retired spin king Saqlain Mushtaq It is not an easy delivery to bowl but if a yesterday defended the controversial “doosra” bowler becomes expert he doesn’t transgress delivery he invented, which has come under limits.” renewed scrutiny since fellow Pakistani Saaed “You need to have strong muscles to bowl Ajmal’s chucking ban last week. a doosra, then fitness matters, also grip, The doosra, which means “the second one” rhythm and follow through. If just one of in Urdu, turns from legside to offside-the these things is missing then you get out of opposite direction to orthodox off breaks. It limits,” he added. is bowled from the back of the hand with a Saqlain, who comes from a humble back- lot of top-spin, though the bowler’s wrist still ground, recalled he discovered the delivery moves in a clockwise direction, making it dif- while playing cricket with a table tennis ball. ficult for a batsman to pick. Saqlain is credited with its invention, Doosra with table tennis ball adding to a list of Pakistani innovations in “I used to play with my brother and cousin cricket including the batsman’s reverse- at the roof of my house in Lahore and tried sweep and reverse swing bowling. the doosra with a table tennis ball,” he said. “I But the delivery has come to be regarded got very excited when the ball turned the with deep suspicion by many, particularly in other way.” Australia and England, where critics charge “I tried and tried and perfected it and that doosra bowlers bend their arm beyond when I used to go to play club the permissible 15 degree limit. matches I would baffle the batsmen with Saqlain, who took 208 Test and 288 one- doosra, and on winning the matches I was day wickets, told AFP from London the rewarded with sumptuous lunches and din- naysayers were wrong. ners. And from there I broke into the Pakistan team.” Saqlain will arrive in Lahore next week to start remedial work on Ajmal’s action, ST LUCIA: West Indies bowler Kemar Roach bowls to Taijul Islam of Bangladesh, who was caught out by Shannon Gabriel with this stroke on day two reported during the Galle Test against Sri of the second and final Test between West Indies and Bangladesh on Sunday at the Beausejour Cricket Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St Lucia. — AFP Lanka last month. The ban was imposed by the International Cricket Council. Ajmal’s action was then assessed in a bio-mechanics lab in Brisbane, Australia which revealed he flexes his elbow Five-wkt Roach sends up to 43 degrees for his off-spinner and 42 for his doosra. Saqlain said he hoped to alter Ajmal’s action, though some believe Ajmal may be Bangladesh reeling too old to change his ways at 36. “I am quite hopeful of helping him. I am not making any guarantees but will see his GROS-ISLET: Kemar Roach was at his devas- 246 for three. Following Robiul’s dismissal of Bravo, he reports and footage and then try my best.” tating best as Bangladesh were reduced to 104 Chanderpaul continued to soldier along at induced an edge from Jermaine Blackwood for Ajmal, for his part, told reporters yesterday for seven at stumps after the West Indies were his very serene pace to his 65th Test half-cen- Anamul Haque to take the catch at first slip he was focused on his comeback as he began dismissed for 380 in their first innings on the tury, being overshadowed by the big-hitting and then had West Indies captain Ramdin his remedial programme. “I am sitting in front second day of the second and final Test on Taylor who blazed 40 in a 54-run eighth-wicket caught behind first ball to spark celebrations of you without any tension, whatever hap- Sunday. stand before finding Mahmudullah on the among the Bangladeshis. pened was disappointing but I am focused on In two sustained, controlled spells, the fast long-on boundary off the bowling of left-arm That celebratory mood was muted by suc- staging a strong comeback,” he said. bowler tore through the top-order of the spinner Taijul Islam. cessive half-century stands with Taylor and Pakistan have considered off-spinners Atif tourists’ batting to finish with five for 33 — his Taylor should have departed on 18 but Sulieman Benn during which Chanderpaul Saeed Ajmal Maqbool and Adnan Rasool to replace Ajmal sixth five-wicket innings haul in Test cricket. Mominul Haque dropped a skier at cover when edged closer to a 30th Test century. in the short-term. Both are prolific performers Jerome Taylor joined in the rout with two the fast bowler sliced another attempted But while he was denied in the first innings “Who says doosra is illegal?” he asked. “It at domestic level-but both have suspect wickets, including captain Mushfiqur Rahim to heave off Shafiul Islam. of the first Test in St Vincent by a declaration, can easily delivered within the allowed rules. actions. —AFP keep the pressure on the beleaguered Yet Al-Amin, whose bowling action was this time it was the dismissals of Benn and last Bangladeshis. reported during the 10-wicket first Test loss in man Shannon Gabriel in quick succession that Only Tamim Iqbal offered any sustained St Vincent, was the most impressive of all, fin- left him unbeaten for the 48th time in his 20- resistance on a pitch that continues to offer ishing with three for 80. year Test career. — AFP Anelka signs for Mumbai assistance to the fast bowlers. He got to 48 before edging a probing delivery from Roach MUMBAI: Controversial French striker Nicolas football despite the overwhelming popularity to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. SCOREBOARD Anelka sought to relaunch his career yester- of cricket in the country. Bangladesh go into day three needing day by signing up for the nascent Indian Anelka has been without a club since he another 76 runs to avoid the follow-on with Scoreboard at stumps on the second day in the second and final Test between West Indies and Bangladesh on Super League, six months after being sacked was fired by West Bromwich Albion in March Mahmudullah and tail-ender Shafiul Islam at Sunday in Gros Islet, St Lucia. from English football in an anti-semitism row. for “gross misconduct” after he made an the crease. West Indies 1st innings (Overnight: 245-4) Mahmudullah 16-2-49-1, Nas. Hossain 2-0-7-0. The 35-year-old former Arsenal, Chelsea, alleged anti-semitic gesture known as a Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the fulcrum of K. Brathwaite c T. Islam b Sh. Islam 63 Juventus and Real Madrid star announced quenelle as a goal-scoring celebration. the home side’s batting effort in the first half of L. Johnson lbw b T. Islam 66 Bangladesh 1st innings that he would be playing for Mumbai City in His sacking was the latest in a long of his- the day, compiling an unbeaten 84 as the wick- K. Edwards c Sh. Rahman b Mahmudullah 16 T. Iqbal c Ramdin b Roach 48 the inaugural edition of the eight-team league tory of rows and disputes over the course of a ets fell around him once the fourth-wicket Da. Bravo c Rahim b R. Islam 46 Sh. Rahman c Ramdin b Roach 1 which begins next month. career which has seen him play for 11 differ- S. Chanderpaul not out 84 A. Haque c Da. Bravo b Roach 9 partnership with Darren Bravo was broken J. Blackwood c A. Haque b A. Hossain 8 M. Haque c Blackwood b Taylor 3 “I am pleased to join Mumbai City FC and ent clubs in six different countries before after an hour’s play. D. Ramdin c Rahim b A. Hossain 0 M. Rahim b Taylor 4 through it participate in the exciting Indian heading to India. Displaying greater discipline on a helpful K. Roach c Rahim b Sh. Islam 0 M. Mahmudullah not out 13 Super League,” Anelka said in a club state- As well as playing in a host of top pitch than on the first day, the Bangladesh J. Taylor c Mahmudullah b T. Islam 40 Nas. Hossain c Ramdin b Roach 1 ment. European clubs, he also had a brief spell with seamers reaped considerable reward in the S. Benn c Sh. Islam b A. Hossain 25 T. Islam c Gabriel b Roach 12 “Talented international players and top Shanghai Shenhua in China. morning session. S. Gabriel b R. Islam 4 Sh. Islam not out 6 Indian talent will make matches thrilling Al-Amin Hossain claimed two wickets in two Extras (b-8 lb-4 nb-6 w-10) 28 Extras (lb-6 nb-1) 7 affairs. I look forward to using my ability to do World Cup bust-up balls after Robiul Islam had Bravo caught at the Total (all out, 124 overs) 380 Total (for 7 wickets, 42 overs) 104 well for my team in the matches we play.” Anelka also won 69 French caps, scoring 14 wicket for 46. Fall of wickets: 1-143 K. Brathwaite, 2-145 L. Johnson, 3- Fall of wickets: 1-14 Sh. Rahman, 2-43 A. Haque, 2-43 A. Anelka is the latest in a string of big name goals in an international career which ended 185 K. Edwards, 4-251 Da. Bravo, 5-268 J.Blackwood, 6- Haque, 3-62 T. Iqbal, 4-65 M. Haque, 5-68 M.