feedback | low graphics version
| feedback | low graphics version | ||||
|
 | | You are in: In Depth: England v Pakistan |
| |  Thursday, 31 May, 2001, 21:03 GMT 22:03 UK Akhtar taken to hospital  Shoaib Akhtar has been bedevilled by illness and injury Second Test, Old Trafford: England v Pakistan: 370 for 8 (day one) Click here Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akthar was taken to hospital after falling ill during the first day of the second Test against England at Old Trafford. Akhtar, who was to undergo tests, was not selected for the match although he had been available for selection before he began feeling increasingly unwell in the morning. "He's got some sort of infection and was feeling lousy with a fever," said coach Richard Pybus. "He was unwell in Pakistan before this tour so we want to make sure it's not related to that." The 25-year-old, among the fastest bowlers in the world, missed the start of the tour after failing a medical with stomach problems. Akhtar recent career has been plagued by injuries as well as a controversy over his bowling which ended with him remodelling his action after he was reported for throwing earlier this year. He played in the first Test before being dropped on Thursday in favour of off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq. Team manager Yawar Saeed said he hoped Akhtar would be fit for the triangular one-day series against England and Australia, which starts on 7 June. Meanwhile, England bowler Matthew Hoggard, who recorded figures of three for 79 on the opening day of his second Test appearance, expressed his delight at claiming his first Test wicket.
He said: "It was one of the best moments in cricket apart from my debut at Lord's. It's lovely to get your name in the wickets column. It was a great relief. I played my first Test and didn't get one. "You are always thinking I need a wicket, I'm not going to get a wicket, I'm not going to get picked again and thankfully it came two balls before tea. I was bowling against the wind, and trying to run up and stop them from scoring. "I got one to reverse, it was just a misjudgment and it was a wicket Inzamam played superbly, shots all round the wicket, and I'm happy to have got him out. But the Yorkshire bowler admitted that it has been a tough day for England. "I wouldn't say there was disappointment about the runs on the board, we were all cold and windswept. "It's been a long day, we stuck at the task well and glad we've got eight wickets. We had a couple of two-and-half hour sessions out there.
Inzamam-ul-Haq was very pleased with his fine 114. "I've scored three centuries against England and this was the best because the team needed big runs. We all played positively because we are going for the win. The team really needed it from me," he said. He added that Pakistan's trip to Blackpool on the eve of the match had proved beneficial. He added: "It was very relaxing, it eased the pressure before the match." | |
Internet links:  The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Other top England v Pakistan stories: Links to top England v Pakistan stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | | | | |
|  Links to other England v Pakistan stories |
| ||
 | ^^ Back to top | |
| Front Page | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Other Sports | Sports Talk | In Depth | Photo Galleries | Audio/Video | TV & Radio | BBC Pundits | Question of Sport | Funny Old Game ------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> | BBC Weather >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMII|News Sources|Privacy | ||
real 14k
