Worcestershire reassured over Shoaib

Worcestershire have received assurances from the PCB that Shoaib Akhtar will be available for the entire second half of the season. But, given the PCB's current relationship with their mercurial fast bowler, what this really means is anybody's guess.

Shoaib is due to arrive at New Road on July 1 to begin life with his second English county, after a previous stint with Durham where he enjoyed limited success. If any one-day tournaments spring up during the second part of the English summer, Shoaib is committed to Worcestershire's cause - and Tom Moody, their former captain, coach and now director of cricket, is earmarking him for the role of finishing teams off.

"He is keen to prove a point in county cricket and I think playing in a better side, with more experienced bowling and batting, will help him and he will be used purely as an impact bowler," Moody told the Press Association. "That is what we need, someone who can knock over wickets early on and finish teams off, something that Nantie Hayward did for us a couple of years ago. We tend not to have trouble knocking over the first four or five wickets but someone who can also knock over numbers nine, 10 and 11 is also so beneficial."

Shoaib has had something of a controversial winter with questions raised over his commitment to the Pakistan cause and his fitness an ongoing topic of debate. He has been ruled out of the Test series against India with a hamstring injury, but hopes to be fit for the one-day internationals. Given his recent record Worcestershire may believe it when they see it as far as Shoaib on a cricket field is concerned.