Ankle fracture puts Shoaib's England tour in doubt

KARACHI, Jun 3 (Reuters) Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture to his ankle and could miss the early part of the four-test tour of England starting at the end of the month.

''Right now he has been advised one week's rest as scans have shown a slight fracture in his ankle which is also swollen. However, the chance of him joining us late cannot be ruled out,'' Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq told Reuters today.

The 30-year-old Shoaib is the lynchpin of the Pakistan pace attack, but he has not played any cricket since January when he was ruled out of the one-day series against India with a knee injury.

He underwent knee surgery in Australia in February and his recovery has been hampered by the additional problem to his ankle.

Although he is in the national conditioning camp set up in Lahore to prepare for the England tour, he has not bowled for a while.

''The reports about him are a bit uncomfortable for us. But he has done light training, so the fracture might not be a serious one,'' Inzamam added.

''We will go by the doctor's report and advice. Obviously we see him as an important member of the team in England and would like to see him play the tests.'' Inzamam added that Shoaib, who has taken 165 test and 199 one-day international wickets, would be asked to appear in some practice games before the team left for England in the last week of this month.

''We will know about his fitness from how he bowls in these practice games,'' he added.

The national selectors are due to announce the touring squad before June 9 and Inzamam said Shoaib might be a conditional inclusion.

Pakistan play four tests, a Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals in England with the first test starting on July 13.

Inzamam said he was confident that pacers Rana Naved and Mohammad Asif, who are playing county cricket in England, would play important roles on the tour.

''Their experience of bowling in English conditions will be invaluable for us.'' REUTERS PM VC1433