Shoaib Akhtar ... Master Blaster

Life is never dull when Shoaib Akhtar is concerned. As a war of words between him and Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan board chairman, rumbles on, and on the day it was announced that he had been left out of Pakistan's squad for the Asia Cup, Shoaib told a local newspaper that he was about to play for Durham as a specialist batsman.

According to a report in The News, Shoaib, who is unable to bowl because of a recurrence of his long-standing rib injury, asked the county whether he could play in one-day games as a batsman, and they agreed.

"I will not be bowling at all in the one-day games," he explained. "I will play as a batsman. They wanted me to rest but I was very keen to play so they said okay you don't bowl but you play as a batsman. I look at this new role as a real challenge in these two games."

Shoaib is undergoing intensive treatment to try and get him fit - for bowling - by the end of the month.