Graham Gooch unfazed by Saeed Ajmal's mystery ball
England batting coach Graham Gooch describes the talk of Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal's new mystery ball, the 'teesra', external, as "smoke and mirrors", saying it evokes memories of Shane Warne.
Ajmal took more wickets than any other Test bowler during 2011 and caused England many problems in their 2010 Test series. The "teesra", meaning "the third one" in Urdu, is equivalent to the top-spinner and bounces more than a traditional off-spinner.
Saqlain Mushtaq, the inventor of the doosra, an off-spinner that turns the opposite way, external, claimed to have developed the teesra while playing in the Indian Cricket League three years ago.