Dubai: The debate over whether Saeed Ajmal's bowling action is legitimate or not continued to be the talking point as Pakistan and England prepared at Dubai's International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy for the second Test match in Abu Dhabi.
Andy Flower, the coach of the England team, was repeatedly asked by the media about Ajmal's bowling action. Flower remarked, "I've got my own private views and talking about them here and now isn't going to help the situation. Our job is to deal with whatever bowler bowls against us and the International Cricket Council's job is to police the game."
Flower's refusal to give a clean chit was enough to spark a debate as to whether the England camp has doubts about his action.
Had Ajmal chucked then on-field umpires would have immediately pulled him in the first Test.
Speaking to Gulf News, Vince van der Bijl, the ICC umpires' and referees manager, said: "If the on-field umpires feel that there is any doubt in any bowler's action he will be reported immediately. There is no need for the umpires to wait till the end of the Test match to report the matter."
Van der Bijl also said that Ajmal was once reported and then cleared. However, whether Ajmal exceeded the limit to bend the elbow by a 15 degree limit will be hard to detect by the human eye.
If there is any suspicion about Ajmal's action and if reported then a study on his action will be conducted by Clive Hitchcock, the ICC's Operations Manager.
Commenting on Ajmal's action, Bob Willis, the former England pacer, said on television: "Let's be honest, the only bowler that is threatening England now is Saeed Ajmal. The teesra has a round arm [action] and that doesn't seem to be a threat but the doosra is the delivery that the batsmen are all struggling with. The authorities are now allowing these mystery spinners, unorthodox off spinners to bend their elbow to a degree. If they are going to be allowed to do that then England have to address this and decide whether we should be teaching our young spinners to bowl like that as well. It is going to be a controversial issue."
When Flower was again asked whether Ajmal's action is a point of discussion in the team, he said: "I don't think that has got into the guys' heads."
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