SPINNER Saeed Ajmal claims he has come through a “private test” on his remodelled bowling action — including the ‘doosra’ delivery — with flying colours ahead of his official International Cricket Council test in Chennai on Saturday.

The Pakistan player, who took 63 wickets in nine LV= County Championship Division Two matches during Worcestershire’s promotion last season, had the test conducted in a laboratory in Edgbaston.

The 37-year-old has been banned from international cricket since his September after his action was reported during the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Test in Galle the previous month.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes has confirmed he wants to re-sign Saeed — should his new action get ICC approval — for the new season.

Saeed is also clinging to the hope he can force his way into Pakistan’s squad for next month’s World Cup after initially being excluded.

He said: “I cleared the private test. The tests were conducted in Edgbaston and all my deliveries including the ‘doosra’ were within 15 degrees.

“Look, I want to be as confident in my bowling as I was before (suspension) and want to be effective, so I can still play the World Cup or cannot play, remains to be seen.

“I want to do what is best for my country and for my team.”

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan had ruled out Saeed’s participation in the World Cup.

However, under ICC rules, all teams can replace a player before the February 7 deadline, a week before the competition starts.

Meanwhile, County wicketkeeper Ben Cox is good enough to represent England within the next two years, according to his Greenvale Kangaroos coach Steve Maddocks.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a fine first half to the campaign in Australia, scoring 410 runs at an average of 41 and also claiming 15 dismissals.

It followed on from a first full season of first team cricket at New Road in which he scored his first Championship century against visiting Hampshire and earned praise from Essex’s former England keeper James Foster.

Maddocks said: “I’m not too sure where Ben sits in the overall pecking order. He is at the right age to be the next one (with England).

“I think he’s certainly good enough, he’s a terrific young fellow and a very talented wicketkeeper and batsman.

“I think what he needs to do is learn how to bat for a long time. I think that’s what he’ll need to do in first-class cricket.

“He needs to put his name up in front of the selectors by getting regular high scores.”

Cox, whose County colleague Jack Shantry is also representing Greenvale this winter, has captained the Kangaroos’ T20 side.