Watch out for wounded Waqar and Wasim, says Pybus

Tony Lawrence

Pakistan expect Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram's wounded pride to play a central role in the second Test against England.

Coach Richard Pybus said the two pace bowlers had been hugely disappointed with their performance at Lord's, when Pakistan crashed to an innings defeat inside three days after winning the toss.

"We had a big debrief after the first Test. We played incredibly poorly," said Pybus.

"But getting a bit of a hiding may stand the guys in good stead.

"I know Waqar and Wasim were very disappointed with the way they bowled. They're both very proud men. There'll be a big improvement for Old Trafford.

"They both felt very rusty, bowled a poor length and failed to exploit the surface. We didn't apply any pressure. You can't set a field for bad bowling."

The second and final Test starts on Thursday, before Pakistan take part in a triangular one-day series also involving Australia.

Waqar and Wasim, Pybus added, showed they were back to form in the final warm-up game against Leicestershire, Wasim finding significant swing in the first innings to take four for 19 off 12 overs in the first innings while Waqar took five for 23 off nine.

"If we play like that against England, we are in the ball game. That display of fast bowling was top class," Pybus said.

SELECTION DILEMMA
Pakistan's problem may be over who to leave out.

Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq seems certain to be recalled after the tourists went into the first test with an all-seam attack.

Shoaib Akhtar is improving all the time after arriving in England short of match fitness -- he showed the value of his pace by breaking England captain Nasser Hussain's finger at Lord's -- while all-rounders Abdur Razzaq, with a half-century in the first Test, and Azhar Mahmood, with four wickets, will also be hard to drop.

The tourists could risk going into the game with four front-line bowlers and the two all-rounders at the expense of a fifth specialist batsman.

That would mean moving Razzaq from number three in the batting order to opener, a position he was used in against Leicestershire, while relying on Azhar, Wasim and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif to grind out some useful runs lower down the order.

Pybus said: "It's going to be interesting. I would rather the selection was too hard than too easy.

"Shoaib Akhtar's getting better and better. The guys are finding their form, admittedly a week-and-a-half late. But rather that than us still trying to get the combinations right."

The Old Trafford pitch, however, may still change both teams' plans. Rain has only allowed one day's play there all season and was continuing to fall on Monday.

Mail Cricket Editor