SLC's 'Doosra' Should Backfire
 The
talk doing the corridors of Sri Lanka Cricket is that Pakistan's off
spinning sensation Saeed Ajmal has been reported by SLC to the Match
Referee of the ongoing Test series David Boon for a questionable action.
Without being presumptuous of the outcome of this complaint, it must
be remembered that the Brits who gave the game to the world also
reported the bowler to the International Cricket Council.
And the Brits received a slap on the face when the ICC cleared the
bowler and asked him to ply his trade, fearing none. Unable to read the
baffling spin of Ajmal, like did the Sri Lankans when they capitulated
to the bowler before the Brits in the desert, the Brits too showed their
cowardice by reporting the bowler.
Egg on their face
But the ICC stood firm and cleared the bowler. It can be safely said
that the SLC will ---and should--- suffer the same fate of the Brits and
finally have egg on their face.
It is very rarely that you get to see a bowler of Ajmal's rare class
tweaking a ball. The 'doosra' is the most difficult ball to pick by
batsmen.
It is bowled with an off break action and while the batsmen play for
the off break, the ball spins the other way like a leg spinner making
the batsman look confused if not funny.
So when a bowler like Ajmal comes along he must be appreciated and
admired for sweating it out at the nets for hours and perfecting such a
cunning delivery. Attempts should not be made to throw him out of the
game.
In Pakistan and in other Test playing countries, there must be many
more bowlers on the assembly lines perfecting the 'doosra'.
Incidentally the man to perfect this delivery and called it the 'doosra',
which means 'going the other' way was Pakistani Saqlain Mushtaq. He
taught Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan how to bowl the 'doosra' with
which delivery Muralitharan captured the majority of his wickets.
History now
Needless to state that Muralitharan too was reported to the ICC, but
what happened is history now. In Sri Lanka, like in other cricket
playing countries, bowlers are trying hard to become spinners with the 'doosra'
as their main wicket taking weapon.
Incidentally writing about former Australian opening batsman David
Boon brings to mind the comment made by Sri Lanka's one man cheer squad
the legendary flag waving Percy Abaysekera.
When Boon played here and was walking out to open batting,
Abayasekera came out with this gem -'Boon, come soon, before noon'. And
that's exactly what happened.
Boon was dismissed early and it was a red faced fuming Boon who made
it back to the pavilion and what words he would have been mumbling at
Abaysekera could be imagined.
Boon was one of the finest opening batsmen to sport the baggy green
cap for Australia. He and Geoff Marsh, formed a feared opening pair
giving Australia many good starts.
Boon has also been a selector and now taken to match refereeing. We
wish him well in this new style of batting for the game he loves.
Chisty Mujahid interesting
It was nice to have and hear famed Pakistani TV and Radio Commentator
Chisty Mujhaid describing the action on the ongoing Test between Sri
Lanka and Pakistan for Ten Sports.
Also in the commentary box are two of his colleagues Waqar Younus and
Ramiz Raja, two former Pakistan greats who Mujahid would have spoken in
glowing terms describing the terrifying pace of Younus and the artistry
with bat of Raja.
Keeping Mujahid company in the TV Commentary Box are Danny Morrison,
then Kiwi pace ace who Raja calls, 'belter' and Morrison returning the
compliment calling Raja 'Rambo'. Good bonhomie and camraderie in the
'box'.
Privilege
And keeping them company are Sri Lanka's own Russell Arnold, one of
Sri Lanka's finest left-hand batsman who I had the privilege of watching
score a great 100 in a one-day international against Zimbabwe in
Bulawayo and describe it for the 'Daily News' and 'Sunday Observer'.
Then there is Roshan Abeysinghe and Michael de Zoysa, two former
cricketers who form good company with the above mentioned and whose
descriptions are well received and most importantly without bias. Ten
Sports can be proud of this high powered team.
My friendship with Mujhaid dates back to 1982 when I was the first
journalist to accompany the first Sri Lanka team abroad to Pakistan
after gaining Test status.
Warnapura Captain
The Captain of that team was Bandula Warnapura, Vice Captain Duleep
Mendis, Manager Anura Tennekoon and Assistant Manager, my former St.
Benedict's College team mate Ranjit Fernando.
Mujahid's comments and descriptions have been well received all over,
because he describes the action as he sees it, is fair in his comments
and appreciated because it is sans bias.
When in Pakistan I also met Qamar Ahmed and S. Salahuddin, two
respected writers and commentators, Tahir Memon, the representative of
Pakistan Tobacco, sponsors of Pakistan Cricket and Tariq Wasim another
commentator. I also met Munir Hussain who was editing the magazine
'Pakistan Cricket'.
After hearing of my cricketing background, Ahmed and Wasim invited me
to give expert comments on the Test matches.
That was a memorable experience.
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