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DUBAI, Jan 15: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez raised the excitement over off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s mystery delivery he wants to unveil against England in the first Test starting on Tuesday, saying it is “unique.”
Saeed, who took the most Test wickets in 2011 with 50, declared last month he will unveil a mystery delivery against England and Hafeez said he has played that delivery in the nets and found it different.
“Yes, I have played his delivery in the nets, it’s a bit different and he has worked a lot on this in the last six-eight months. He has not bowled it internationally, so it will be bit different and exciting,” said Hafeez.
Hafeez, himself a off-spinner, refused to give more details.
“I can’t tell more about it, he can better tell you. You will judge it when he bowls that, I don’t want to reveal that, he has this new weapon and has command over it and has called it teesra [third one],” said Hafeez.
Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq invented a unique delivery which he named ‘doosra’ (second one) — a delivery which is bowled with the normal off-spin action but turns the opposite way.
Hafeez said Saeed has improved his skills through this new delivery.
“Because of his extra-ordinary work [on the delivery] …. I must leave it for him to bowl rather than I reveal anything, and I wish him success in this delivery. Every person has that ability to improve his skill and he has done that,” said Hafeez. “I don’t know how difficult it will be for others, I have played him as a bowler for the last eight, nine years so it will be something new in cricket.”
Hafeez said Pakistan has the edge over England in spin bowling.
“We have an edge in the spin bowling as our spinners — Saeed and Abdul Rehman — are world class bowlers and conditions have helped our slow bowlers here last year,” said Hafeez.
Both Pakistan and England are likely to enter the first Test with two spinners, with Hafeez providing Pakistan an extra option in the slow bowling.
England have off-spinner Graeme Swann and left-armer Monty Panesar, who warmed up for the Test with an eight wicket haul in the second side match which his team won on Friday.
Hafeez said Pakistan were positive for the series and have bowlers to take 20 wickets — a pre-requisite to win a Test.
Meanwhile, Swann has advocated the idea of playing two slow bowlers in the England XI.
England warmed up for the opening match of the three-Test series with a 100-run win against the PCB XI with left-arm spinner Panesar staking claims to partner Swann with eight wickets in the side game.
And Swann, England’s frontline spinner for some time now, backed the idea of playing with two spinners on the slow, turning pitches in UAE.
“Yes I would, I’ve always advocated the use of two spinners and I love the rhythm and tempo the game takes when there are two spinners,” said Swann, who is likely to play a lead role for England again.
“You have all the men round the bat and with everyone in close you can make shot suggestions to the batsman that he might not otherwise do,” said Swann of the action when two spinners are employed in a Test.
England last played two spinners in a Test against Bangladesh in March 2010, with another off-spinner James Tredwell partnering Swann.
Swann, 32, welcomed the return of Panesar, who has not played a Test since the Cardiff Ashes match in 2009.
“It is great to see Monty back and bowling so well. It is always tough if you lose form and your place in the team. It is very hard to dust yourself down and get back to your fighting weight,” said Swann.
When asked about Saeed’s plans to unveil a mystery delivery, Swann replied with amazement: “That is the greatest thing about it, because all the spinners that come up with these ‘balls’ so to speak, the names are highly unoriginal and not impressive.
“But the ‘teesra’ is a stroke of genius,” said Swann, while adding that he never bothered about mystery deliveries.
“I wouldn’t bother. I’ve never sat down and thought about it. I’m just impressed by the word teesra. Let’s face it — as an off spinner you can have a ball that goes one way and one that goes the other and one that goes straight on.—AFP
