The Sunday Mail
SUSPENDED off-spinner Prosper Utseya is impressed with progress he has made in remodelling his bowling action, but appreciates that there is still a lot of work ahead of him.
The 29-year-old, whose bowling action was deemed illegal by the International Cricket Council last month, will spend the next fortnight in South Africa as he steps up the remedial work.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail before his departure on Friday, the former Zimbabwe cricket team captain expressed confidence in the abilities of renowned South African spin coach and analyst Justin Sammons, whom he will be working with.
“I feel I have improved, though it is still something new and very challenging. I believe I will get it right. The help of experts such as Justin as well as the use of cameras comes in handy in such an exercise. This involves a lot of hard work, but I am ready for it all,” said Utseya.
The off-spinner is eyeing making Zimbabwe’s squad to next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“I am trying as much as I can to be all sorted out by the time the World Cup comes. I have just been told that the final team will be selected by the 7th of December; so, I need to get my timing right in terms of going for retesting,” he said.
Utseya was forced to withdraw from the team that is currently touring Bangladesh after the ICC deemed his bowling action illegal following tests done in Cardiff last month. The former skipper was called for suspect bowling action during the third ODI against South Africa at Queens Sports Club in August.
The international cricket governing board’s crackdown on illegal bowling actions has also affected Pakistan top bowler Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lankan Sachitra Senanayake and Bangladeshi’s Sohag Gazi who was suspended at the same time as Utseya.
Senanayake has since reworked his action and recently featured in a tournament in Sri Lanka, while Ajmal who was said to be bowling around 7 000 times in three weeks with new action, has made significant progress towards redemption.
Utseya is taking encouragement from such “success stories” and is grateful for the support Zimbabwe Cricket has offered him.
“It’s encouraging; if someone else can do it there is no reason why I can’t do it as well. Although the action might be different, news that other guys have successfully worked on their bowling actions shows that it can be done and I intend to do it.
“I have realised that on the load, my arm travelled a longer distance; meaning my front arm was dropping earlier, hence I ended up compensating. I have tried to use my front arm a lot more and being also side-on in my action,” he said.
