Pakistan's leading spinner Saeed Ajmal is confident the Umpires Decision Review System (UDRS) in the forthcoming series against England will be a plus for his team's slow bowlers because of the number of left-handers in the opposition. "It is going to be a tense series and I am happy the UDRS will be used in tests and one-dayers," Ajmal told Reuters.
"I bowl the doosra a lot and most of the time I beat the batsmen in front of the wickets but umpires tend to turn down a lot of my appeals because the ball is going the other way. 'With the UDRS I am confident of winning a high percentage of my appeals this time as England have at least four quality left-handed batsmen."
Ajmal who at the age of 34 finished with 50 wickets in tests this year, has perfected the art of the doosra, the off-spinner's delivery which turns away from the right-hander or straightens up. However, he dismissed reports that he was working on a special delivery for the England batsmen. "No such plans, but I am bowling a lot in the nets to left- handed batsmen," he said. "Because while I am used to bowling my doosra to right-handers I want to be in control against the left-handers in this series.
"I am working hard on perfecting my wicket-taking deliveries and controlling my flight because on the pitches in the United Arab Emirates, particularly Abu Dhabi, the ball only breaks when you give it air," he said. Ajmal who made a late entry into international cricket and now has 83 wickets in 17 tests besides 78 one-day wickets and 46 in Twenty20 matches, said the key to Pakistan winning the series would be the bowling.
"The pitches are slow and it is hard work for the spinners as well in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The advantage we have is we know the conditions and pitches well now and we know what to do to take wickets," he said. "England has not played much in the UAE so their bowlers will take time to grasp the requirements of bowling on the pitches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi."
Ajmal said he was looking forward to his contest with English off-spinner, Graeme Swann. 'It is going to be interesting because he is a different type of bowler. I am different, although we are both off-spinners. But I know a good show in this series will cement my standing in the world."
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