Shoaib to prove fitness in four-day tie

Georgetown (Guyana), May 10: After the disappointment of a drawn first Test at Bourda in which last two days were washed out without a ball been bowled, the Pakistani tourists now head for Barbados on Wednesday morning to prepare for the second Test at the Kensington Oval, starting from May 18.

But prior to the Barbados Test, Pakistan will play a four-day game against West Indies 'A' from Friday (May 12) at the same venue.

The match will provide Shoaib Akhtar a golden opportunity to prove his fitness for the second Test. After recovering from a groin injury, he has been troubled another injury under his left arm, which the team's physio Dan Kiesal had diagnosed as a side strain.

So far Shoaib has played in only one game and that was in the decisive final of the triangular one-day series which Pakistan won at Port-of-Spain before the start of the Test series. He had taken two wickets without being in top condition.

Meanwhile, another fast bowling youngster Shabbir Ahmed, who is not a part of the touring team but has been sent here to be looked at by Michael Holding, the former West Indian fast bowling legend about his allegedly suspect action, will not be given a game. Instead he will be flown home on May 11 to join the cricket camp and hone his skills for future tours if picked.

The encouraging news from Pakistan's point of view is that Shabbir, who was dropped from the team to go to Australia after South African match referee Peter van der Merwe reported his bowling action to the ICC after Toronto and Sharjah tournaments, has been passed by Holding as a bowler with clean action.

During the Test in Georgetown Shabbir had a number of bowling session under the gaze of Holding and the Pakistan coach Javed Miandad with the crowd in the stands watching the youngster being guided by the two legends of the game.

Holding later confirmed that Shabbir's action is no more suspect. "He has clean action now. When I first saw him he looked a suspect and he bowled fast because of it. Now after whatever remedial coaching he has been given at home, he looks to me a bowler with no problem as far his action is concerned." "But I notice that he lost some pace because of it. I am sure however that Shabbir will improve and once again be able to bowl fast as before if he works hard on his bowling," the former West Indian pacer added.

Javed Miandad is also of the opinion that the young man has got his action right. "His action was right in the first place when a complaint was made but now I am doubly sure that he is OK. Who could be a better judge than Michael Holding." he said.