Shoaib starts slowly as Derbyshire reach 91-3

Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar got off to a slow start as Derbyshire reached 91 for the loss of three wickets against the tourists at lunch on the first day of a three-day match.

The English county side won the toss and elected to bat first against openers Akhtar and Pakistan captain Waqar Younis.

Shoaib, armed with a new bowling action and a few extra pounds around his middle, was launching a challenge for a test berth against England.

But the 25-year-old, still jet-lagged after joining the rest of the squad just 24 hours earlier, bowled within himself after his arrival was delayed when he failed a pre-tour medical.

Shoaib gradually increased his speed but did not trouble the batsmen during a tight but wicketless five overs costing 13 runs before the break.

It was left to Waqar to make the first breakthrough when he had Stephen Stubbings caught low down at first slip by Inzamam-ul-Haq for eight with the score on 17.

Then Stephen Titchard, who made 11, played back to all-rounder Abdur Razzaq and saw the ball clip the top of his leg stump.

Luke Sutton was the next to fall as he prodded the ball into the hands of Imran Farhat at silly point off Saqlain Mushtaq when he had scored 26.

With the hosts on 61 for three Matthew Dowman and Christopher Bassano steadied the ship, batting through the last 40 minutes of the first session.

Bassano was 11 not out and Dowman 31 not out at lunch.

REMODELLED
Shoaib's action has been remodelled after he was reported -- and cleared -- of throwing for a second time in his career earlier this year.

On Tuesday he used a slower run-up, while holding his bowling arm straighter as he approached the crease.

Shoaib also looked slightly overweight, although team manager Yawar Saeed said: "He's fine...he's 100 percent fit".

The Derbyshire game will be followed by another three-day match against Kent starting on Saturday, the final warm-up before the first test at Lord's begins on May 17.

Shoaib, who missed the New Zealand test series through injury, has not played a top-class game for two months and faces stiff competition for a place in the Pakistan attack.

Wasim Akram, one of his main rivals, was left out on Tuesday after impressing in Pakistan's opening win against British Universities.

Mail Cricket Editor