Akhtar boosted his chances of a Test place

Derbyshire left out senior batsmen Rob Bailey and Michael Di Venuto and Akhtar's double strike put the onus on skipper Dominic Cork to try and build a respectable total.

Akhtar was cleared to join the tour on Monday after recovering from a stomach problem but his recent lack of match practice was obvious as he appeared carrying a few surplus pounds in weight.

His first ball was cover driven to the boundary by Luke Sutton as Akhtar gave the crowd a first look at his remodelled action.,

And it was captain Waqar Younis who made the initial breakthrough by having Stephen Stubbings caught low at slip by Inzamam-ul-haq for eight.

He took one for 16 before bringing Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood into the attack in a double change.

All-rounder Razzaq struck in his third over by cutting one back to bowl Steve Titchard for 11 and reduce Derbyshire to 44 for two.

Sutton was next to go after batting for an hour and a half when he was caught by Imran Farhat off Saqlain for 26.

Saqlain makes a confident appeal

Matthew Dowman struck six boundaries as he and Stephen Bassano held firm until lunch and added another following the re-start before Akhtar dismissed him for 36.

Cork had to jab down hurriedly on the next delivery as the 'Rawalpindi Express' picked up speed, but Bassano had no answer as he was trapped in front for 17.

Worse was to come for Derbyshire as wicket-keeper Rashid Latif accepted a thin edge from the bowling of Saqlain to remove Karl Krikken for a duck.

Bad light briefly forced the players off the field with the score on 114 for six but the resumption saw Saqlain make short work of the tail.

Mixing well-flighted off breaks with the occasional wrong 'un, he dismissed youngster Nathan Dumelow and then had Cork lbw sweeping for 27 after a battling innings lasting 100 minutes.

The end came swiftly with Tom Lungley and Liam Wharton both out for ducks as Pakistan wrapped things up off the first ball of the 60th over.

There was only just enough time for Pakistan to begin their reply as the light closed in again after 2.3 overs and no further play was possible.