Rana targets Trescothick and Flintoff

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, the Pakistan fast bowler, has picked out Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff as the most prized wickets in the Test series against England.

"Trescothick has matured into a fine player. His wicket and that of Andrew Flintoff will be prized ones in Pakistan," Rana told Dawn, a Pakistani daily. Trescothick is the only England batsman to have scored big on this tour. His unbeaten innings of 124 and 38 were crucial in rescuing England in the warm-up match against a Pakistan Cricket Board Patron's XI at Rawalpindi.

Rana has taken 55 wickets in 31 one-day matches, but has yet to cement his place in the Test side. In an otherwise flashy Pakistan pace attack led by Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami, he is seen as a hard-working bowler who sticks to the basics. After a successful season with the English county Sussex, taking 54 wickets, he feels he is ready to stake a place in the Test side. "I have gained a lot of confidence with Sussex. My control over the old ball and reverse swing is also very good now," he said. "I can take the pressure of spearheading the attack now."

Rana's five Tests have yielded just eight wickets at an average of 76.62, but he feels the conditions in Pakistan will suit his style of bowling. "In Pakistan the pitches are low bounced and slow and the ball gets old quickly. Any bowler who has control over reverse swing will be successful." With the ability to bowl a reverse-swinging yorker almost at will, Naved-ul-Hasan is relishing the opportunity to bowl against a potent England batting line-up. "I got a chance to bowl on dry wickets in England in August and September and the ball did a lot of reverse swing. This will help me a lot in the coming series," he said.

He has been included in Pakistan's 16-man squad for the first two Tests.