Shoaib Malik cleared of suspected bowling action by AFP

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Player:	Shoaib Malik
Event:	Pakistan in West Indies 2004/05

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DateLine: 10th May 2005

 

Pakistan's promising off-spinning allrounder Shoaib Malik has been cleared of suspected bowling action, a Pakistan cricket official said.

 

"Malik went to the sports institute of South Africa last month and now we have received the report which says that he is bowling within the tolerance level of 15 degrees," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Saleem Altaf told AFP on Monday.

 

"After his action was questioned, we did some remedial work on it and he bowled in four one-day matches in India and was not reported," said Altaf.

 

The report clearing Malik of suspected action would be sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC) as a normal procedure, Altaf said.

 

Malik's bowling was reported as suspect by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe of New Zealand for a second time in October last year.

 

Malik, 23, was reported for the first time in 2002.

 

The ICC rules now allow a bowler to straighten his arm by 15 degrees but once a bowler's action is questioned it is mandatory for him to consult a human movement expert to get the all-clear.

 

Another Pakistani off-spinner, Mohammad Hafeez, was given all clear after his action was reported during Pakistan's tour of Australia earlier this year.

 

In a separate incident, Malik banned for one Test and fined 75 percent of his next two international match fees for throwing a domestic game last month.

 

The ban means Malik, who has so far played eight Tests and 99 one-day internationals, will miss Pakistan's first Test in Barbados on their tour of the West Indies later this month.

 

Pakistan departs for the Caribbean tour on Wednesday where they play three one-day matches and two Tests.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)