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  • Oct 29th, 2005
  • Comments Off on Pakistan will not seek spin doctor for pitches
Pakistan can tame England in their forthcoming Test cricket series without hiring a "spin doctor" to make local pitches friendly for their leg-break specialists, an official said on Friday.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan ruled out hiring curator Andy Atkinson - himself an Englishman - who has prepared pitches for Pakistan for their home series over the last two years.

"We don't want to cheat," Khan told reporters. "The home advantage should be underlined but we have a balanced pace and spin attack so we want sporting tracks."

"We are neither in search of a curator who can prepare spin pitches for us, nor are we calling Andy Atkinson to prepare pitches against England," Khan said.

Atkinson's services helped Pakistan beat Bangladesh and South Africa at home but they lost an all important series against India, the first between the arch rivals in Pakistan for 14 years.

Pakistan meet England in the first of three Tests in Multan starting from November 12, amid expectations that the hosts might play two leg-spinners to outwit Ashes-winners England.

"We have discussed with captain Inzamam-ul Haq and coach Bob Woolmer on what type of pitch we want and can assure that it will be a sporting pitch with bounce," said Khan.

Pakistan recalled leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed among 25 probables after a gap of two years and he was tipped to pair with another leggie, Danish Kaneria, in the first Test.

England captain Michael Vaughan was unruffled by Pakistan's spin plans, saying his side has improved against spinners.

"We have improved against spinners and played Shane Warne reasonably well," Vaughan said, referring to the legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, who despite taking 40 wickets failed to stop England winning the Ashes 2-1.

Khan said there were clear directives from the International Cricket Council (ICC) over pitch-making and he insisted the PCB would adhere to them.

"The ICC has clear directives on how to make pitches and ICC has (previously) criticised a pitch in the neighbouring country as under-prepared," said Khan, referring to India's narrow 13-run win over Australia last year.

The Bombay pitch proved a vicious turner as Australia lost the Test inside three days with leg-spinner Anil Kumble taking five wickets in the first innings, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh chipping in with five and part-time Australian left-armer Michael Clarke taking six in the second.

England open their tour with a three-day side game against PCB Patron's XI at Rawalpindi from Monday.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005


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