Coach Woolmer condones Sami146;s dubious distinction

Pakistan paceman Mohammed Sami8217;s dubious distinction of bowling the longest over in one-day cricket has evoked sympathy from coach Bob ...

Pakistan paceman Mohammed Sami8217;s dubious distinction of bowling the longest over in one-day cricket has evoked sympathy from coach Bob Woolmer, who says bowlers occasionally suffer such nightmares. Sami delivered a one-day international record over of 17 balls that featured seven wides and four no-balls in the Asia Cup second-round match yesterday against Bangladesh, which Pakistan won easily by six wickets.

8216;8216;Poor old Sami had a nightmare, and that happens. When it goes wrong, it can go really wrong,8217;8217; Woolmer said ahead of the Pakistan team8217;s departure from Colombo early today.

Woolmer said he had a close view of how things go wrong for bowlers during his playing days as an English county cricketer. 8216;8216;I once saw pace bowler Graham McKenzie deliver a 26-ball over during a Sunday one-day League game,8217;8217; said Woolmer. 8216;8216;The poor chap had a rough day, he even bowled with one pace and still delivered no-balls.8217;8217;

Sami opened the Pakistan attack by dismissing Bangladesh opener Mohammad Ashraful lbw for a duck on the fifth ball of the innings, but was taken off the attack after needing 17 deliveries to complete a wayward second over.

Sami conceded 22 runs in that over, including seven illegitimate deliveries in succession. He eclipsed the previous record set by Bangladesh8217;s Hasibul Hossein, who had bowled a 14-ball over against England during the 2000 ICC Trophy in Nairobi.

Woolmer said the excessive amount of wides and no-balls delivered by the Pakistan bowlers needs to be rectified. But the coach condoned Sami8217;s 17-ball over, saying the pace bowler had bowled a lot during the past six months. 8216;8216;I think he8217;s feeling tired, and he needs a break. I8217;ve told him to get away from the game and go on a holiday,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;But Sami shouldn8217;t worry about it, we can sort it out later.8217;8217;