Pakistan's Akhtar slams new free-hit rule
Saturday, 14 July 2007
LAHORE, Jul 13 (AFP): Pakistan pace man Shoaib Akhtar Friday urged cricket's governing body to reconsider a new bowling rule which allows a free hit in case of a no-ball, saying it is harsh on bowlers.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) last month approved the new rule, which allows a batsman to take a free swipe after a front- foot no-ball in a one-day match.. The batsman cannot be dismissed on the free hit except for being run out.
The ICC's Cricket Manag-ement Committee suggested the change to make one-day cricket more attractive, but Akhtar hoped the move would be scrapped for the sake of bowlers.
"With this change there will be no margin of error for the bowler. If a bowler has come back from injury he would definitely lose his rhythm and bowl no-balls," said Akhtar, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career.
The 31-year-old fast bowler regained fitness to force his way back into the preliminary squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September this year.
He missed the World Cup held in the West Indies this year through a knee injury.
Akhtar said one-day cricket has become too tough for fast bowlers.
"Bowlers have to toil hard in one-day cricket because most of the rules favour batsmen. Pitches are tailor-made for batsmen so everything is against bowlers," said Akhtar.
The bowler, known as the Rawalpindi Express for his pace, got a reprieve in a doping case last week.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency against the overturning of bans on Akhtar and fellow pace man Mohammad Asif, saying it had no jurisdiction to deal with the matter.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) last month approved the new rule, which allows a batsman to take a free swipe after a front- foot no-ball in a one-day match.. The batsman cannot be dismissed on the free hit except for being run out.
The ICC's Cricket Manag-ement Committee suggested the change to make one-day cricket more attractive, but Akhtar hoped the move would be scrapped for the sake of bowlers.
"With this change there will be no margin of error for the bowler. If a bowler has come back from injury he would definitely lose his rhythm and bowl no-balls," said Akhtar, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career.
The 31-year-old fast bowler regained fitness to force his way back into the preliminary squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September this year.
He missed the World Cup held in the West Indies this year through a knee injury.
Akhtar said one-day cricket has become too tough for fast bowlers.
"Bowlers have to toil hard in one-day cricket because most of the rules favour batsmen. Pitches are tailor-made for batsmen so everything is against bowlers," said Akhtar.
The bowler, known as the Rawalpindi Express for his pace, got a reprieve in a doping case last week.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency against the overturning of bans on Akhtar and fellow pace man Mohammad Asif, saying it had no jurisdiction to deal with the matter.