Pakistan ponder Sami's pace to counter Lara's class

KARACHI, Nov 26 (Reuters) Pakistan are considering playing fast bowler Mohammad Sami in the third and final test against the West Indies starting tomorrow to target master batsman Brian Lara.

Sami has a career average of 48 per wicket and has been recalled despite a miserable tour of England on which he managed just eight wickets in three tests at an average of 58.25.

''Sami is under consideration but is not an automatic choice,'' said Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Sami, team sources said, was under consideration because the feeling was Lara was fallible to genuine pace and often struggled against the short-pitched ball at the age of 37.

''His reflexes are not as good as they used to be. In the last few games against us he has shown no fear against the spinners but has struggled against genuine pace,'' one source said.

Lara has scored hundreds in his last four tests against Pakistan and put the home attack to the sword with a blistering 216 in the drawn second test in Multan.

''I don't know if I will play. But if I get a chance it will be a big challenge bowling to Lara in present form,'' said Sami, who has 73 wickets in 28 tests and another 109 one-day wickets.

The West Indian skipper, the leading scorer in tests with 11,904 runs, needs just one more hundred to equal Sachin Tendulkar's record of 35 centuries.

REUTERS PM KN1424