“Doosra” cannot be bowled legally: Michael Holding

Thursday, 28 April 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Islamabad, April 27(ANI): Former Jamaican fast bowling legend-turned-commentator Michael Holding has questioned the legality of “doosra”, saying that he believes it cannot be bowled legally.

Pakistan’s spinners have been a major force in the ongoing one-day series in the Caribbean, with Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi weaving their magic over the confused West Indian batsmen in the first two ODIs of the five-match series.

In a total of sixty completed overs, the Pakistani spin trio have the impressive combined figures of eight wickets for only 202 runs, with Hafeez and Ajmal’s doosras being virtually unplayable, allowing Pakistan to wrap up comfortable eight-wicket and seven-wicket wins respectively.

However, the Jamaican commentator was heard questioning the legality of the doosra during the second ODI between Pakistan and the West Indies in St Lucia on Monday.

Clarifying his comments, Holding stated: “My belief regarding the doosra is very clear, I don’t think it can be bowled legally.”

Holding’s main complaint with the doosra is that he feels it cannot be bowled from the wrist alone, and that the elbow is used unfairly during the course of bowling the delivery.

“I find it difficult to believe any human being can bowl that delivery with his wrist alone, the elbow has to be used for the power. It’s a matter of how much elbow power the bowler uses and the ICC obviously believe some bowlers use less than the 15 degrees and others don’t, as only some bowlers actions are questioned and reported,” PakPassion.net quoted Holding, as saying.

The current guidelines state that during the bowling action, the elbow may be held at any angle and may bend further, but may not straighten out.

If the elbow straightens illegally, then the square-leg umpire may call a no-ball, as the current laws allow a bowler to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less.