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Shoaib Malik cleared of suspect action

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistani allrounder, has been cleared of a suspect bowling action

Cricinfo staff
10-May-2005


Shoaib Malik: cleared by the sports institute of South Africa © Getty Images
Shoaib Malik, the Pakistani allrounder, has been cleared of a suspect bowling action. Saleem Altaf, the director of the Pakistan Cricket Board, revealed that the all-clear came after Malik went to South Africa to have his action tested.
"Malik went to the sports institute of South Africa last month and now we have received the report which says that he is bowling within the tolerance level of 15 degrees," ABC Sport quoted Altaf as saying. Altaf added that the report clearing Malik's action would be sent to the ICC shortly. "After his action was questioned, we did some remedial work on it and he bowled in four one-day matches in India and was not reported," he said. Malik, who was reported for the first time in 2002, found himself in trouble once more in October last year when Jeff Crowe, the match referee, pulled him up a second time.
Malik's joy at receiving this news will be tempered by the fact that he is currently serving a one-Test ban handed to him by the Pakistan board for allegedly throwing a domestic Twenty20 match recently. This means he will miss the Pakistan's first Test on the forthcoming tour of the West Indies. He was also fined 75% of the match fees of his next two international games.