E-Paper
Speed isn't everything, Inzy tells Shoaib
The world's two fastest bowlers will meet head-on in Hobart but Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar has been urged by his skipper to concentrate on line and length.
The world's two fastest bowlers will meet head-on in Hobart on Friday but Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar has been warned by his skipper not to get caught up in a pace race with Australian Brett Lee.
The two speedsters will spearhead the attacks for their respective countries when they meet in the second tri-series one-day cricket game at Bellerive Oval -- Australia crushed the West Indies by 116 runs in the opening fixture in Melbourne on Friday.
But Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, himself reportedly under pressure for a lack of leadership, has made his feelings clear to Shoaib about what his priorities must be.
While he conceded a Lee-Shoaib showdown was an exciting prospect, Inzamam urged the Pakistani star to remember his rhythm on what is likely to be a good batting wicket.
"His main thing is to concentrate on line and length and how he performs, and not his competition on speed," Inzamam said.
"It's not a game of speed, he's (Shoaib) definitely the world's fastest bowler, but the main thing is line, length and swing."
For his part, Lee, who bowled at speeds of 150 kilometres per hour in his brilliant 3-36 spell on return to the national team against the West Indies on Friday, said he knew Shoaib could not resist the temptation to bowl as quickly as possible.
