Report: Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal was double the allowable elbow extension limit

The offspinner recorded a 40 degrees elbow extension during testing in Australia, according to the ICC report on Ajmal, well over double the 15-degree limit.

Saeed Ajmal has been suspended by the ICC for his bowling action, putting into doubt his participation in the 2015 Cricket World Cup for Pakistan. Lakruwan Wanniarachchi / AFP

Suspended Pakistan offspinner Saeed Ajmal had an average elbow extension of more than twice the allowable limit during testing of his bowling action in Australia last month.

Ajmal recorded an astonishing 40 degrees with a relatively small standard deviation of 2.5 degrees at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, according to the 23-page International Cricket Council report on the world’s top-ranked bowler in one-day internationals.

The rules allow for an elbow extension of 15 degrees.

Ajmal was suspended on Tuesday by the ICC for a suspect action, putting in doubt his appearance at the World Cup in five months.

None of the deliveries by Ajmal during the eight overs of biomechanical testing – some overs were not of the usual six balls – came close to meeting regulations, the report said.

During testing, Ajmal bowled offspin from over and around the wicket, the doosra, and quicker balls.

Pakistan Cricket Board chief medical officer Dr Sohail Salim attended the testing, during which Ajmal was monitored by 27 cameras, including two high-speed cinematic cameras and three high-speed mobile video cameras.

The experts were satisfied with Ajmal’s replication of his suspected deliveries from when he was reported during the lost first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle last month.

The assessment said Ajmal appeared to have hypermobility of the right wrist due to an earlier injury.

He was previously reported in 2009 for his doosra – a delivery that spins away from right-handed batsman – before he was cleared.

Pakistan, who will not appeal the suspension, will attempt to rehabilitate Ajmal at their National Cricket Academy in Lahore from Monday, and have gathered former leading bowlers, including offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq, to help. Pakistan will decide after three weeks whether to ask the ICC to reconsider the suspension.

The over-by-over testing:

1st: Over the wicket: Average elbow extension 39 degrees

2nd: Over the wicket: 37 degrees

3rd: Around the wicket: 41 degrees

4th: Around the wicket (wide of the crease): 41 degrees

5th: Around the wicket: 42 degrees

6th: Around the wicket, doosra: 40 degrees

7th: Around the wicket, quicker balls: 38 degrees

8th: Over the wicket, quicker balls: 42 degrees

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