Cricket: Pakistan Examine Their Options

While England were yesterday licking their most recent lacerations Pakistan, their next opponents, were planning extreme measures to settle the selection problems afflicting them.

The Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer is so exasperated at the lack of information about the condition of Rana Naved-ul-Hasan that he intends to subject his bowler to a make-or-break fitness test at Canterbury on Thursday. Before the start of play against England A the 28-year-old will be expected to bowl flat out. If he comes through unscathed, he will play and then be in contention for the first Test at Lord's 10 days from now.

Until now it had been assumed that Naved would miss at least the start of the series after injuring his groin playing for Sussex. "If it goes, it goes," said Woolmer of the obvious risk involved in Thursday's test, "but one way or another we'll know."

Woolmer is also unprepared to write off the chances of Shoaib Akhtar, currently nursing a stress fracture of his left ankle.

Yesterday, however, Woolmer's attention was on his batsmen, in particular the openers Salman Butt, a thorn in the side of England last winter, and Imran Farhat, the 24-year-old who is favourite to walk out with Shoaib Malik at Lord's.

Butt, aged 21, averaged 60 against England but could then accumulate only 120 runs in three Tests against India. Yesterday there was little to choose between them in the morning session when they both scored at ease against a Leicester seam attack featuring only one first-team regular.

Farhat tucked in immediately, cutting and driving with a penchant for the offside. Refreshed by drinks he lifted Claude Henderson into the pavilion.

Butt's acceleration was more gradual. His fifty came up in 95 balls, as opposed to Farhat's 71, but also included 10 fours. By lunch Pakistan were sitting pretty on 141 without loss. However, the Butt-Farhat duel was about to be settled by one of those bowlers new to Leicester colours.

Nick Walker, who got a contract only on Saturday, reeled off 12 overs in the afternoon sun, taking three wickets for 27.

Butt, on 68, edged on to his leg-stump - which prompted Farhat to retire himself on 81 - Younis Khan was trapped by a skidding delivery and Shahid Afridi swung across the line which helped reduce Pakistan to 201 for five before Kamran Akmal pummelled a path to parity.