Woolmer ponders options for first Test

MULTAN—Coach Bob Woolmer says Pakistan faces the best kind of selection nightmare for the first test against England, which begins on Saturday.
A 16-man squad was named for the first two tests and the selectors face dilemmas over the selection of the opening pair, recalled batsman Hasan Raza and their pace attack.
“The selection is going to be a nightmare for us I think as we have too many options available to us for this test and we now have to sit down and work out the best possible combination,” Woolmer told newsmen.
Raza, who has been recalled to the team after three years, has been in supreme form this season and he led the Pakistan A side to a good win over England in the three-day tour match at Lahore with solid innings of 34 and 71 not out.
Woolmer said Hasan was clearly in contention for a place in the middle order.
“We have to look at every possibility and pick the squad according to the requirements of this match,” he said.
Another problem facing Pakistan is whether to select pacer Shabbir Ahmed to back up new ball pair Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
Shabbir has taken 46 wickets in nine tests and in his last test appearance bowled Pakistan to victory in the West Indies with eight wickets.
But his action remains a source of concern despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) giving it the all-clear recently.
He also faces competition from Rana Naved who has bowled well for English county Sussex and took 11 wickets in his only domestic match this season.
Pakistan looks set to persist with Shoaib Malik as one opener as he scored a half century in his last test appearance in the West Indies but are mulling over Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt for his partner.
“We need good opening stands in this series something we have not got in recent series,” Woolmer said.
Woolmer said the pitch for the first test in Multan looked to be a good test track although he expected it to assist the spinners later on in the match.
“I hope it takes sharp turn because there is no batsman who can play sharp turn comfortably,” he said. “Especially against the wrist spinner”.
Pakistan has two specialist leg spinners Danish Kaneria and Mushtaq Ahmed to choose from while Afridi also bowls leg-spin regularly.

—Agencies