The Return of the Dragon

Akhtar said on arrival in New Zealand two weeks ago that he come to cricket’s most southerly outpost on a mission of redemption. His tour to New Zealand in 2001 ended bitterly when he limped home before the Test matches, injured and chastised by questions over the legality of his bowling action.

Those questions, more than a reported thigh injury, threatened to end his career. He had been reported for an illegal action while touring Australia in 1999 and, with two strikes against him, seemed down and out. But Akhtar battled back. He began remedial work on his technique and after an extended rehabilitation won approval for a return to international play. In 2002, against New Zealand at Lahore, he bowled the first ball in an international match officially clocked at more than 100 mph (162 kph).

No new doubts have arisen about his action and, though he bowled in venomous spells throughout the Wellington Test, his technique was exemplary. Akhtar’s success in Wellington can only help dim the bitter memories of his previous visit to New Zealand. “ ‘Limping chucker going back home’ — that was the sort of headline I remember when I left New Zealand last time,” Akhtar said Tuesday.

“My career was almost finished here. Now I’m going to restart my career back in New Zealand. I’m going to prove myself once again.” New Zealand figures loom large in Akhtar’s checkered history. He claimed his best one-day figures of 6-16 against New Zealand in the match in which he broke the 100 mph barrier and had his best Test figures of 7-11 against the Kiwis in Pakistan last year. He now has 118 Test wickets at an average of 23.5, including 17 wickets for 89 runs against New Zealand in his last two Tests.

“It was one of my great spells,” Akhtar said of his fourth-day effort in Wellington.