Ex-Pak spinner Saqlain offers to teach "Doosra" to Oz spinners

Sydney, Apr.29 (ANI): Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who took 208 wickets in 49 Tests and nows plays for Burslem in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire league in England, has said he is willing to impart the techniques of doosra bowling to a new generation of Australian off spinners.

"If there is any opportunity for me to work in Australia, I would love to take that opportunity. I can teach them [doosra] if they want my services," Saqlain told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Australian off spinners, including Nathan Hauritz, Jason Krejza and Dan Cullen, are all experimenting with the delivery in the nets.

Cullen, the 25-year-old South Australian who has played one Test, boasted of having mastered the art, but Hauritz said no one had ever seen it.

Krejza and Hauritz have got a version of the doosra to go straight. Making it turn away from right-handed batsmen is a different matter entirely.

Hauritz has been working on the ball for two years in the nets, but bowls only about 10 doosras three times a week because it causes so much discomfort.

The main barriers to bowling the doosra are flexibility and the need for a front-on approach at the bowling crease, with Australian off spinners all coached to remain side-on.

Saqlain is convinced the doosra can be bowled in accordance with the ICC rules, which outlaw elbow flexion of more than 15 degrees.

While the focus is generally on the elbow, Saqlain said the whole body, particularly the front foot, was essential to keeping the doosra a legal delivery.

"When you plant the front foot, use your shoulder and lock the wrist you can do it without bending your arm. But if there is a problem in the front foot, in the wrist or in the balance, then you can't do it," he said.

The leading exponents of the doosra, Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and India's Harbhajan Singh, were both reported for the manner in which they bowled the delivery but were subsequently cleared. (ANI)