evertonfan
Chairman of Selectors
Taken from SkySports.com:
Pakistan's bowling attack has suffered a further blow with the news that paceman Mohammad Asif has been ruled out of Thursday's first Test at Lord's with an elbow injury.
Asif - who took 10 England wickets in Pakistan A's victory last winter, picked up the injury playing against England A at Canterbury at the weekend and failed to take part in pre-match practice on Wednesday.
With fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan both sidelined through injury, the tourists had hoped that Asif, who took 25 wickets for Leicestershire earlier this summer, would be fit to play after a cortisone jab.
But coach Bob Woolmer confirmed: "Unfortunately he hasn't reacted properly to the injection he had so he will be out.
"He's bowled particularly well for us so that is a problem, but we knew it was going to be a problem when it happened at Canterbury."
Opener Shoaib Malik, who made an unbeaten hundred in his last Test appearance against Sri Lanka earlier his year, is also doubtful with an elbow injury.
Woolmer continued: "He's struggling. He had a cortisone injection last night so it depends what happens to it as a reaction."
Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq added: "There is a problem with his fielding because he cannot throw.
"The better chance is he plays but once we have seen him field we will decide whether to select him or not."
Woolmer added that Pakistan would delay the announcement of their starting XI to assess " a few niggles" in the morning.
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?...61&title=Elbow+injury+forces+Asif+to+miss+out
Further bad news for Pakistan, but I think tehy are still more than capable of winning.
Pakistan's bowling attack has suffered a further blow with the news that paceman Mohammad Asif has been ruled out of Thursday's first Test at Lord's with an elbow injury.
Asif - who took 10 England wickets in Pakistan A's victory last winter, picked up the injury playing against England A at Canterbury at the weekend and failed to take part in pre-match practice on Wednesday.
With fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan both sidelined through injury, the tourists had hoped that Asif, who took 25 wickets for Leicestershire earlier this summer, would be fit to play after a cortisone jab.
But coach Bob Woolmer confirmed: "Unfortunately he hasn't reacted properly to the injection he had so he will be out.
"He's bowled particularly well for us so that is a problem, but we knew it was going to be a problem when it happened at Canterbury."
Opener Shoaib Malik, who made an unbeaten hundred in his last Test appearance against Sri Lanka earlier his year, is also doubtful with an elbow injury.
Woolmer continued: "He's struggling. He had a cortisone injection last night so it depends what happens to it as a reaction."
Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq added: "There is a problem with his fielding because he cannot throw.
"The better chance is he plays but once we have seen him field we will decide whether to select him or not."
Woolmer added that Pakistan would delay the announcement of their starting XI to assess " a few niggles" in the morning.
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?...61&title=Elbow+injury+forces+Asif+to+miss+out
Further bad news for Pakistan, but I think tehy are still more than capable of winning.
