Dubai: Pakistan have put up a spectacular batting performance in their second innings overcoming their blemish in the first innings of the third Test match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Behind their success is a silent hard worker and former Test star Ijaz Ahmad.
Ahmad is the team's batting coach who makes sure that all mistakes of his batsmen are minutely rectified. During the practice sessions, he uses an instrument called Dog Ball Thrower.
Deliveries
Fixing the ball to the tip of the thrower, he whips it towards the batsman standing halfway to the pitch.
"It is very good for the batsmen to try out different strokes and master them. If the ball is kept with the seam pointing towards slips it moves very well off the pitch. It helps the batsmen master playing away going deliveries," remarked Ahmad to Gulf News.
Ahmad was seen using this instrument to bounce the ball at Younus Khan and making him play the pull shot. "It is very effective as the ball comes really fast like coming off the arm of a fast bowler," added Ahmad, who was known for his ability to play pacers and is known as Pakistan's finest No 3 batsman.
Khan played nearly 25 pull shots to the bouncing balls off this instrument. "This instrument is very helpful for a coach as he does not have to use his arm-strength to throw the ball.
"One can throw any number of balls at the batsmen with minimum effort," said Ahmad, who plays the role of a fielding coach too.
Kenya: High-level security
Cricket Kenya promised high-level security for Ireland during a four-day Intercontinental Cup and two One-Day Internationals starting next week.
The fixtures, which also include three Twenty-20 games will be played in the Indian Ocean town of Mombasa from February 12-24.
The tour was confirmed on Tuesday by Cricket Ireland who had earlier expressed concern over the security following a UK travel advisory on Kenya issued in January over a possible terror attack by the Al Shabab terrorist organisation of Somalia.
— AFP
