Wasim's exclusion surprises Crowe

New Zealand cricket team manager Jeff Crowe said Monday that his team would get a lot of heart after Pakistan left out Wasim Akram from the probables to be considered for selection in the forthcoming series.

Crowe, who arrived here to inspect the facilities, also told reporters that New Zealand allrounder Chris Cairns was unlikely to figure in the three-Test and as many one-day internationals series starting here from Sept 19. "Frankly speaking, Wasim's exclusion surprises me. I think he is a great player and a great bowler," Crowe said when asked to comment on his team's chance in the absence of the left-hander.

"It is a great relief for me and my team that Wasim Akram will not be playing in the series. Obviously its a change of selection policy in Pakistan," he remarked. But while Crowe sounded confident of his team's prospects, he had a word of caution too.

"We have a tour of Australia after the Pakistan tour. We don't want to leave Pakistan, battered and bruised." Crowe, a former New Zealand captain, said Cairns was effectively out of the series because of a chronic knee injury.

"Chris (Cairns) at this stage is probably unlikely to tour Pakistan. He is under rehabilitation. He might come in some later stage but his name would not appear at this stage." Crowe said he came down to Pakistan because he was in Sri Lanka. "It's not always that New Zealand official visits to check facilities.

"The facilities and stadia are magnificent here. I am sure the boys will be pleased to know that they will get the best playing environment." He said it has been mutually decided by the two boards that the day/night one-day games would start at 2.30pm because there would be less dew as the games would be played in September.