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The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday rejected Pakistan's requests for dealing with paceman Shoaib Akhtar who was reported for a suspect bowling action during the Sharjah Cup.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, last week, had objected to ICC's decision of implementing Stage Two when it appointed Michael Holding as Shoaib's bowling advisor. The PCB maintained that the ICC should first decide if it believed the credibility and authenticity of Australian Institute of Human Resources.

The Perth-based institute, in its report, has said Shoaib's bowling arm was deformed at birth giving an illusion of throwing.

The PCB had also said it was not in a position to bear the three-month expenses of Holding though the former West Indian quickie was more than welcome to the country in any other capacity.

"The ICC is not reviewing its decision to appoint Michael Holding to work with Shoaib. "The cost involved with Stage Two will be at the PCB's expense," ICC's communication manager Mark Harrison said in a statement to Dawn.

Shoaib was reported for the third time since December 1999 for a suspect bowling action. Holding has to submit his report to the ICC and the PCB by Feb 7. Until that time, Shoaib was cleared to play but would be banned for one year if reported again.

The PCB is facing a financial crunch after it was denied the right to earn estimated $30million this year in lieu of cancellation of Indian and New Zealand tours. However, the ICC said the extent of Holding's work with Shoaib will be by agreement between the PCB, Michael and Shoaib.

"The consultancy can take place at any suitable and appropriate location, providing that facilities required by the advisor are available and to the required standard," the ICC said.

The ICC said before Holding began working with Shoaib, he would be fully briefed by the ICC and supplied with all relevant background and reference material. "These will include the report compiled in Western Australia during Stage One of the reporting and review process, together with video footage of Shoaib bowling in Sharjah and elsewhere as required."

"The ICC consulted with many former Test players and captains in developing the new process and believe it represents a fair but effective solution to the problem. "This is a sensitive area and we have put forward a system that offers help and assistance to bowlers suspected of having problems with their actions.

"These three stages give ample opportunity for a player to overcome these and demonstrate conclusively that his action is entirely legal, while remaining within the game."

Starting-point:The PCB has inquired the starting-point for Holding who has been appointed as bowling advisor for Shoaib Akhtar.

In a four-page letter, publicized Tuesday, the PCB contests that match referee Denis Lindsay has not pointed out the deliveries which have concerned him. "Normally, referee would give more details. For example in John Reid's report on Shoaib, the short pitched delivery was singled out.

"In case of the report on Shahid Afridi by Barry Jarman, the faster one was specificially mentioned. The report on Shoaib Malik also raises doubts specifically on the delivery `which goes slightly from left to off. "In the present case, this is not so. In fact para D sounds quite tentative when it says `if anything is wrong'."

The PCB argues that the technical background to Lindsay's report is the same in the University of Western Australia report, "then we are certainly at a loss to find useful work for Mr Michael Holding. "If there is any other reason behind the "concern", it is not stated, in the absence of which, Mr Holding will not have a starting point.

"And if Mr Holding is required to review Shoaib's whole bowling action, then that, I am afraid, has already been done, at a state-of-the-art facility."

Earlier this year, University of Western Australia declared that "Akhtar does not throw based on the biomechanical assessment of his bowling action.

"Unfortunately, the abnormlities in his bowling limb give the impression of a semi-throwing motion when viewed from a single location and the addition extension recorded following the arm attaining the horizonal position is a manifestation of his hypermobile elbow joint."

© Dawn