SHARJAH // Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan off-spin great, has backed Saeed Ajmal to return from his ban from bowling.
Muralitharan, who is serving a short-term stint as Australia’s spin-bowling consultant in the UAE, reckons Ajmal can “definitely” correct his illegal bowling action.
Ajmal was banned from bowling when tests on his action revealed him to be flexing his arm more than double the permitted 15 degrees.
The Pakistan off-spinner turns 37 on Tuesday and has bowled well over 3,000 overs in all international cricket using his previous method.
However, Muralitharan is certain the remedial work currently being undertaken in the hope that Ajmal can play at February’s World Cup can be successful.
“Definitely, if he works on it for two or three months,” Muralitharan said, after Australia’s win over Pakistan in the opening one-day international at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night.
“He is working with Saqlain [Mushtaq, the former Pakistan off-spinner]. Hopefully Saqlain will give good tips to him and he can work it out. Nothing is impossible in life.”
Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s head coach, is among a number of people who have questioned the timing of the ICC’s current purge suspect bowling actions.
However, Muralitharan, who had the most critiqued bowling action in the history of cricket, believes the laws need to be observed, no matter the situation.
“The law is there and I also faced the same problems,” said Muralitharan, who has taken more international wickets than anyone else.
“I also went for testing and my [reading] came lower than that [15 degrees of flexion].
“The law has been set for a long time. It says 15 degrees, if the bowler looks suspect the umpires can’t call [a no ball] but they can say they are suspect and they have to go for a test.
“The law was already there, it was there when I was playing also. You have to go and test. If you go under 15, OK.
“If you go over, you have to go and work on your action. That is the basic thing. That is up to any other people to judge, not me.”
Muralitharan says he is proof of the fact the doosra, which is the delivery most often deemed to be suspect among off-spinner, can be delivered within the legal limit.
“I have tested so many times and my doosra is 10.4 degrees,” said Muralitharan, who says he is unlikely to return to playing now he has embarked on his career in coaching.
“I have bowled it and showed it [can be bowled within the legal limit]. It depends on the bowler how they do it, and if you asked Saqlain [who is most regularly credited with inventing the doosra] he would say the same thing.
“If somebody goes beyond the limit, I can’t comment on that. But I can say I can bowl it.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Monday's results
- UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
- Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
- Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”