Wasim leaves for England, fulfil contact (28 Apr 1997)

27 April 1997

Wasim leaves for England, fulfil contact

Dawn Special Representative

COLOMBO, April 26: Wasim Akram left here for England in the wee hours of Saturday to join his English county Lancashire for the 1997 season. Akram had arrived here as a wounded captain suffering from a shoulder injury. Last week he had decided to pull out from the tour and the charge of the team came in the hands of Ramiz Raja.

Talking to his correspondent before leaving for England, Wasim Akram said his county was playing Yorkshire in the B&H Cup on Tuesday and "no matter if I am not playing, I have to be there. The Lancashire management has also taken an appointment with one of the leading orthopaedic surgeons there to consult about the shoulder."

Wasim Akram believed that his present condition was such that his first appearance there there was not possible before another 10 days. "I also have to train and do physical exercises before I take the field. "In this background, I am unlikely to go to India because I have to regain complete fitness which may even take 15 days to three weeks," said Akram.

Wasim Akram stated that he would be attending the captains' summit at Lord's likely to be held between July 13 and 15. "Captains from all the Test-playing countries will be attending the conference to give various suggestions to the ICC.

"I have not been provided with any agenda so far; neither the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has informed me officially, but I assume I will be representing Pakistan.

"If I have to take permission what I intend to say there, I will get it from the PCB," Akram added.

Asked what he had in his mind at this stage, Wasim Akram said the most important issue was the excess of cricket being played. "The players are all burning out and getting all sorts of injuries which is not good. "I would like to see not more than 10 Tests and 30 one-day internationals played in a calendar year. I also intend to make a lobby with other captains for uniformity of Test cricket for every team. "I think the ICC should also give a piece of advice to the respective boards how to chalk out their cricket programme like when to organise Test matches and when the one-day internationals so that the players are least suffered by the weather conditions," he said.

Akram said the second thing he would like to emphasise was for at least two-day gaps between the one-day internationals. "This brand of cricket takes a toll out of a player and he needs a good rest to regain his composure to deliver his best in the following games." Asked if he would be asking for a clear-out law about ball tampering, he said: "This issue is now dead and buried. Nevertheless, it would be good if the ICC elaborates what is ball tampering. Apply sweat or shining the ball on trousers is also interfering with the ball."

On the two-bouncer an over rule, Wasim Akram opined that the ICC should now revert back to the old law and see the difference. "The bouncer restrictions are now four or five years old. Let them see what difference it makes when there is no restriction for a bowler to send bouncers.

"I think it will be a successful try because nowadays we have more quality batsmen than we used to have four or five years back," stated the allrounder.

Wasim Akram stressed that the World Cup of Test cricket should be organised "and the ICC have received several proposals in this connection. I think the ICC should award the inaugural tournament to South Africa and see if their format was workable or needed some alterations or improvement.

"One has to start from some point, so what's the point in delaying," he said.

About the ranking system, Akram felt that it may be thrilling for the spectators but added that the players were least concerned or bothered. "Unlike in tennis where endorsements vary with the rankings, the cricketers are getting some payments and offers from other institutions whether you are No 1 or No 100."

Wasim Akram was glad and pleased that Mohammad Zahid will be going to Nottinghamshire. "I can assure you that he will be a different bowler in the coming home series. He has the energy, fire and enthusiasm. The county cricket exposure will mature him more and he will be become a match-winner."

Source:: Dawn (https://xiber.com/dawn/)