'Exonerated' Shoaib leaves for Sydney today

Controversial and trouble-hit Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar leaves for Sydney, Australia, early Tuesday after he was Monday acquitted of misconduct charges during the Sharjah Cup.

Shoaib,regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the world, will team up with Australian pace sensation Brett Lee in the Mosman club where the two are expected to make six or seven appearances until late December.

"I am leaving Tuesday morning and looking anxiously forward to playing with Brett over the next five to six weeks. It will not only be good for both of us but also for the public to see us share the new ball," Shoaib said from Rawalpindi.

Shoaib was exonerated of misconduct charges by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after it was observed that no official complain had been lodged by match referee Denis Lindsay.

"Until the match referee doesn't take note, how can the PCB disciplinary committee take action against Shoaib. As far as we are concerned, the matter stands closed with no disciplinary charge against Shoaib," a committee member said on the condition of anonymity.

He, however, said the PCB will make public the official decision after securing clearance from Lt Gen Tauqir Zia.

Tauqir had ordered probe into allegations that Shoaib had shown gestures during the final against Sri Lanka. Although television footage confirmed Shoaib passing on remarks to Mahela Jayawardena, he got the benefit of doubt as Lindsay preferred reporting Shoaib's bowling action rather that his on-the-field conduct.

Shoaib, who was also fined Rs 50,000 and suspended from a one-day international last year for night-out in Australia, said he had agreed to sign with the Sydney club in an effort to regain complete fitness.

"There is no domestic cricket here which given me an opportunity to plug the gaps in my fitness and bowling rhythm.

"This opportunity will help me get into my best for the tour to Bangladesh and future international commitments," he said.

With the PCB supporting Shoaib's decision to play in Sydney, sequence of events indicate that the Pakistan top hierarchy has decided to bypass Stage Two invoked by ICC on the pacer after he was reported for the second time in less than a year.

The ICC had appointment West Indian Michael Holding as Shoaib's advisor who was given a Feb 7 deadline to submit his report to the ICC and the PCB. The PCB had contested Holding's appointment arguing that it couldn't sponsor his visit.

As things stand at present, Shoaib leaves for Sydney Tuesday and plans to return late December. Between Jan 2 and 28, 2002, Pakistan has a scheduled tour to Bangladesh for two Tests and three one-day internationals.

These commitments effectively kill all possibility of Holding working with Shoaib and complying with ICC's instructions of submitting his report by Feb 7. However, while the ICC has appointed Holding, it has said it cannot and would not seek to force the bowler to undergo counselling.

If the PCB formally declines to comply with the Stage Two process, the ICC would notify all umpires and referees of that decision. "This would effectively conclude Stage Two and Shoaib could continue to play, having forfeited the opportunity to work with one of the world's greatest and most knowledgeable fast bowlers," the ICC said last week. Nevertheless, if Shoaib is reported again, he will be banned for one year.