Ex-England player Emburey says current spinners using 'illegal means' to bowl 'doosra'

Former English cricketer John Emburey has said that there a number of modern-day spinners who are not bowling the 'doosra' delivery legally.

According to www.Pakpassion.net, a tall off-spinner with a classically looping action, Emburey played 64 Tests and 61 ODIs for England taking a total of 223 international wickets between 1978 and 1995 and holds the slightly unusual record of being England's highest Test run-scorer never to make a century.

Stating that the 'doosra' is a great ball if it is bowled legally, Emburey said that he believes that as many bowlers are not able to bowl the 'doosra' properly, they try to do it using illegal methods.

According to Emburey, the proper way of bowling the delivery is by having one's elbow pointed forward and releasing the ball behind the hand, adding that there has to be an element of straightening of the arm to get the pace of the ball down the other end of the pitch.

Emburey further said that although the ICC laws state that the delivery needs to bowled with a straight arm, he added that the board has opened a 'can of worms' by making a regulation of allowing a 15 degree bend which when seen in action, appears as if somebody is throwing it.

Stating that it is inevitable that England bowlers will also be bowling the doosra, Emburey further said that some of the young bowlers in the team are eventually going to develop a 'doosra' of their own while they are young, adding that they will be able to bowl it with confidence as they develop it while maturing themselves.