Second Test, Headingley: Pakistan v Australia
Dates: 21-25 July 1030 BST each day
Salman Butt takes charge of Pakistan for the first time as they bid to level the two-match series with Australia in Wednesday's final Test at Headingley. The 25-year-old opener was handed the reins after Shahid Afridi decided to quit Tests after the series finishes. It is unclear if Afridi will play, with Shoaib Malik a possible replacement, while spinner Saeed Ajmal may return.
Australia, who won the Lord's Test by 150 runs, have fitness doubts regarding Marcus North and Ben Hilfenhaus. North took six wickets with his occasional off-spin as Australia ripped through the Pakistan batting in the second innings at Lord's but missed training on Monday because of illness. Paceman Hilfenhaus, who took three wickets in the first Test, injured a shoulder while fielding. Peter George, the uncapped 23-year-old South Australia seamer is in contention to replace him, with Victorian seamer Clint McKay, who has played one Test, another option.
Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja, a 23-year-old left-handed middle order batsman and right-arm seamer from New South Wales, is in line to deputise for North and make his international debut. Vice-captain Michael Clarke is not concerned by the possibility of an inexperienced Australian line-up because of the stability provided by skipper Ricky Ponting. "Having such a class player, let alone a great leader, helps the younger, inexperienced guys come through and learn faster," he said. Pakistan's problems have been in the batting department, with former captains Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf banned for life after the 3-0 Test series defeat in Australia in the winter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board subsequently relaxed those bans and Yousuf told reporters in Karachi on Monday that he would be prepared to play under the captaincy of Butt. That is unlikely to happen in time for this match, and Younus, a more realistic option because he is in England playing for Surrey, is also not expected to return for this series. Butt admitted the timing of his elevation to the captaincy following Afridi's decision to step down came as something of a surprise.
"I knew nothing about it beforehand, but I have respect for his honest opinion," the left-hander said.
"Being vice-captain meant that if anything goes wrong you are the next man, so I was partially ready for something like this, but I didn't expect him to retire like this."
Butt's first task at the helm is to try to prevent a 14th successive defeat for his team against Ponting's Australians.
One move that might be made is to recall 32-year-old Ajmal, who has 18 wickets from his five Tests, the most recent of which was against Australia at Melbourne on Boxing Day last year.
Dates: 21-25 July 1030 BST each day
Salman Butt takes charge of Pakistan for the first time as they bid to level the two-match series with Australia in Wednesday's final Test at Headingley. The 25-year-old opener was handed the reins after Shahid Afridi decided to quit Tests after the series finishes. It is unclear if Afridi will play, with Shoaib Malik a possible replacement, while spinner Saeed Ajmal may return.
Australia, who won the Lord's Test by 150 runs, have fitness doubts regarding Marcus North and Ben Hilfenhaus. North took six wickets with his occasional off-spin as Australia ripped through the Pakistan batting in the second innings at Lord's but missed training on Monday because of illness. Paceman Hilfenhaus, who took three wickets in the first Test, injured a shoulder while fielding. Peter George, the uncapped 23-year-old South Australia seamer is in contention to replace him, with Victorian seamer Clint McKay, who has played one Test, another option.
Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja, a 23-year-old left-handed middle order batsman and right-arm seamer from New South Wales, is in line to deputise for North and make his international debut. Vice-captain Michael Clarke is not concerned by the possibility of an inexperienced Australian line-up because of the stability provided by skipper Ricky Ponting. "Having such a class player, let alone a great leader, helps the younger, inexperienced guys come through and learn faster," he said. Pakistan's problems have been in the batting department, with former captains Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf banned for life after the 3-0 Test series defeat in Australia in the winter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board subsequently relaxed those bans and Yousuf told reporters in Karachi on Monday that he would be prepared to play under the captaincy of Butt. That is unlikely to happen in time for this match, and Younus, a more realistic option because he is in England playing for Surrey, is also not expected to return for this series. Butt admitted the timing of his elevation to the captaincy following Afridi's decision to step down came as something of a surprise.
"I knew nothing about it beforehand, but I have respect for his honest opinion," the left-hander said.
"Being vice-captain meant that if anything goes wrong you are the next man, so I was partially ready for something like this, but I didn't expect him to retire like this."
Butt's first task at the helm is to try to prevent a 14th successive defeat for his team against Ponting's Australians.
One move that might be made is to recall 32-year-old Ajmal, who has 18 wickets from his five Tests, the most recent of which was against Australia at Melbourne on Boxing Day last year.
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