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New film may clear Shoaib

Footage of controversial Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar shot in Perth in recent weeks will be used in a bid to pave the way for his return to Test cricket.

Pakistan manager Brigadier Mohammad Nasir said on Thursday the film is being sent to the Pakistan Cricket Board and will be passed on to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the hope they will reverse their finding that he occasionally bowls with an illegal action.

Shoaib, 24, rated by some observers as the world's fastest bowler, was ruled to be a "chucker" by the ICC's illegal actions committee in December. But, in an extraordinary move earlier this month on the eve of the Australian one-day series involving Pakistan and India, as well as the home nation, ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya overruled that decision and declared Shoaib eligible to play in one-day internationals.

He remains barred from Test matches until the ICC committee gives further consideration to the issue.

Shoaib will be a key member of the Pakistan attack in Friday's WACA Ground game in Perth against India.

The film being sent to Pakistan was taken while Shoaib was working in Perth with highly-credentialled former Western Australian coach Daryl Foster, who also coached Kent in the English county competition, and Western Australian sports scientist David John.

Nasir said the film would help Shoaib to show the ICC he had improved his action under the remedial training by Foster and John. The film will help Shoaib press his claims at the ICC and prove that, if there were any problems with his action, he has now overcome them.

"This film will show Shoaib from all angles and is a proper scientific report of his action," he said.

"Unlike the television film looked at by the ICC panel initially, it has proper detail and contains all kinds of information not available to the panel."

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said on Thursday that Pakistan has always believed Shoaib's action was acceptable.

"I am satisfied there is nothing wrong with him and that he will be cleared for Tests in due course," he said.

"When this business first started, he was a worried man, but he has shown great mental strength - as fast bowlers have to do, of course."

Intikhab said that while Shoaib was certainly fast - and has stated a desire to be the first in the world to be clocked at 100mph (161 kmh) - pace was not the most important facet of his bowling.

"What we want is for him to get wickets for us in the middle," he said.