By Martin Gough

Wasim Akram was once the flower of Pakistan cricket, but it appears his career has finally wilted at the Rose Bowl.

Wasim is the only bowler with 500 ODI wickets Wasim's career in pictures

Wasim's decision to cut short his season with Hampshire for health reasons brings the curtain down on a colourful career.

There have been soaring highs: a record 502 one-day international wickets and 414 scalps in 104 Tests.

But there have also been off-field lows: match-fixing allegations, marijuana smoking claims in the West Indies, revolt against his captaincy and bickering with team-mates.

A prot�g� of Imran Khan, Wasim hit the headlines at an age of only 18 with a 10-wicket haul in his second Test, against New Zealand at Dunedin in 1984/85.

And it barely took him longer to impress in the limited-overs arena, figures of 5-21 in only his fourth match consigning Allan Border's Australia to a 62-run defeat in Melbourne.

It was the first of 19 victories over the current world champions, although the most recent match-up was a World Cup loss that began Pakistan's route to first-round elimination.

Even in the twilight of his career, Wasim was arguably the game's greatest exponent of reverse swing, producing unsettling pace from a relatively short run-up.

WASIM FACTFILE Born: Lahore, 3/6/1966 Tests: 104 414 wkts, ave 23.62, best 7-119 2898 runs, ave 22.64, high 257* ODIs: 356 502 wkts, ave 23.52, best 5-15 3717, ave 16.52, high 86 Also: First bowler to 50 World Cup wickets Most capped player in World Cup history Captained Pakistan to 66 one-day wins and 12 Test victories

His love affair with the World Cup - he is the only player to take more than 50 wickets in the tournament's history - began back in 1987.

But for him the pinnacle of his career came at the tournament five years later when three vital wickets and 33 runs off 19 balls helped Pakistan beat England in the final.

He passed the 500 mark against Holland in February, an achievement possible in part because of his decision to step down from Test cricket to concentrate on the one-day game.

In the Test arena he formed part of a formidable opening partnership with Waqar Younis and led the side to 12 victories in 25 matches as captain.

But his time at the helm of Pakistan came to an end in 1999, when Justice Qayyum's report into match-fixing deemed him "not above board" and suggested he not captain his country again.

On the domestic scene, Wasim starred in a Lancashire team that lifted seven one-day trophies during the 10 seasons he was at Old Trafford in the 1990s.

Wasim had set his heart on retiring after winning the 2003 World Cup, but events overtook him and Pakistan's dismal showing led to his axing from the team along with seven others.

A final spell in county cricket beckoned with Hampshire, but he struggled with health problems and played in only five of the county's eight championship games.

Wasim has made it clear he wishes to remain involved in cricket, through media work and coaching, especially with youngsters in Pakistan.

But in a gesture of goodwill, he may be given the chance of a final appearance for Pakistan in Karachi or his home town of Lahore against South Africa in October.

An era has passed, but Wasim will be remembered for providing a roller-coaster ride.