Cricket: Pakistanis wary of Dunedin conditions

Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf will take on a double dose of responsibility when their three-test series against New Zealand starts in Dunedin next week.

Not only is the quietly spoken Yousuf leading a side with a mix of youth and more seasoned players and with its leadership in a state of flux, but he will be the key figure in the area of the game which the tourists might view with some trepidation.

The early-season pitches in New Zealand tend to favour the seam bowlers. Batting life can be difficult, even for those well used to the conditions.

Coming out of a diet of cricket in more batting-friendly places, such as Pakistan's de facto homes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is no preparation for what Dunedin's University Oval might offer from next Tuesday.

Pakistan's veteran coach and former captain Intikhab Alam is confident the squad possesses the bowlers to take advantage. Batting, however, might be a concern.

"We do expect a little bit of grass on pitches but we have a bowling attack to get 20 wickets," Intikhab said on the squad's arrival in Auckland yesterday.

"That's very important but at the same time we have to get runs on the board."

And that's where Yousuf, formerly Yousuf Youhana, comes in.

When he retires, the 35-year-old will go down as one of the all-time great batsmen. His 7023 runs in 82 tests at an excellent 54.86 place him behind only Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq on Pakistan's highest test aggregates, and No1 in averages. The numbers paint an eloquent picture of his talents.

He has toured New Zealand twice before - only opener Imran Farhat was also on both those 2001 and 2003 trips, while spinner Danesh Kaneria and medium pacer Umar Gul are the other returnees from six years ago.

Yousuf hit a double century at Christchurch in 2001, and a match-winning double of 60 and 88 not out at Wellington two years later. In New Zealand, he averages an outstanding 69 in five tests.

"I have a lot of good memories and I always enjoyed it here," he said yesterday.

Pakistan will hope that continues because for all the exciting talent in the squad, the conditions might pose some searching questions of their batting techniques.

Yousuf was a late appointee to replace Younis Khan, when his on-off tenure as skipper was halted again when he opted to take a break after the ODI series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi this month.

Younis is another with a test average above 50 and will be sorely missed.

With Shahid Afridi captaining the Twenty20 team and another former skipper, Shoaib Malik, in the tour party, it has not been the most secure of cricket jobs.

"It is a big responsibility and I will try my level best to make unity within the team and try to play good cricket here," Yousuf said.

Pakistan possess an exciting left armer in Mohammad Aamer, and the recalled Mohammad Asif, of whom Intikhab waxed lyrical yesterday. Asif copped a one-year ban for a drug offence and Dunedin, assuming he is picked, will be his first test in just over two years.

He has taken 51 wickets in 11 tests at 23.13 and with swing bowler Umar Gul, the tourists have a capable new ball attack.

"Asif is a great bowler, a matchwinner, no doubt," he said. "I've seen very few people in my career blessed with so much talent."

Pakistan head to Queenstown today and will play a New Zealand Invitation XI laden with likely first test players, over three days from tomorrow.

There was good and grim news for New Zealand yesterday. Captain Dan Vettori has been passed fit for the test series, after having a troublesome shoulder assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon. The joint has structural damage, but won't affect his bowling.

But fast-medium bowler Kyle Mills is sidelined for at least four months for surgery on a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.

Mills will also have surgery for a long-term patella tendon injury to his right knee. He is hoping to be fit in time for the world Twenty20 championship in the Caribbean in April.

PAKISTAN SQUAD Mohammad Yousuf (c), Khurrum Manzoor, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Abdur Rauf, Umer Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed.