No love lost in Old Trafford reunion

Firm friends will become forbidding foes when the first Test gets underway in Lahore tomorrow as Michael Atherton and Wasim Akram break a Lancashire bond to fight for their countries.

The pair shared the same dressing room at Old Trafford for ten years and know each other - and each other's game - well, but when battle commences between England and Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium, this experience and knowledge will be deployed as effective weapons in combat.

Atherton says Wasim is 'one of the best left-armers the world has ever seen' but is determined to make a century against him while the Pakistan all-rounder has set his sights on claiming Atherton's wicket.

"I'm looking forward to locking horns with Wasim again," admitted Atherton. "We played for 10 years together with Lancashire and we are very good friends, but it will be hard work when we play each against each other and there will be no love lost on the field."

"He's been one of the finest cricketers over the years and certainly one of the best left-armers the world has ever seen. He's getting towards the end of his career now and he's lost a little of his pace, but he's got all the tricks and guile and is a formidable opponent."

Last time the pair met in international cricket was at Headingley when Atherton had Wasim adjudged leg-before off his own leg-spin bowling but despite that triumph, Wasim has the upper hand, having seen Atherton off on four occasions in ten Tests.

"He's a very different bowler to people like Curtly Ambrose and Glenn McGrath who are very accurate, put the ball on a length and give you nothing," said Atherton.

"Wasim will give you a lot of bouncers and yorkers but very little in between, has a fast arm and a quick approach to the crease so for an opener he presents a very different challenge - he's up there with the very best because he tries something different with every ball."

"It will be an enjoyable challenge facing their spinners, assuming I get past the new ball," he added. "That's the challenge Pakistan present - they give you numerous problems.

"They have pace, a bit of reverse swing later on and also spin and from a batsman's point of view, you have to be adept at handling all types of bowling to score runs against them. They therefore present the ultimate challenge."