May 31, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1428

LAHORE, May 30: Wasim Akram has suggested setting up a fast-bowling fund as a way of continuing to contribute to Pakistan’s pace-bowling future. Wasim, along with Aaqib Javed and Mudassar Nazar, is currently overseeing a PCB-organised camp for the country’s most promising pacemen and opening batsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The experience has already spurred him to consider broadening his role in the future. A more regular, involved position was all but ruled out given his media and business commitments, but he is keen to make some kind of contribution.

“It’s too early to say right now about a permanent role as it depends on my timings,” Wasim, one of the top fast bowlers in the game’s history, stated. “I have media commitments and I’m away from Pakistan a lot. But I think whenever I have time I could come back and help out.

“But my idea really is to set up a kind of fund, a Wasim Akram fast-bowling fund. Depending on how much time I can give, instead of payments, the money can go into this fund. From this, we can then send, say two bowlers and cover their costs at the academy in Pakistan or an academy in Australia to hone their pace-bowling talent. I have given the idea to the (board’s) chairman and he liked it, so it could be a regular thing.”

Wasim, regarded by many to be the best left-arm fast bowler ever, has often offered informal, impromptu help to Indian and Pakistani fast bowlers, since he retired from the game in 2003. Often it has had a telling effect, but this is his first official involvement of any kind and it came about on his own prompting.

“It just came up like that,” Wasim, who played a leading role in Pakistan’s only World Cup win in 1992, said. “I think this much I owe to Pakistan cricket that when I have time and I am in the country, I can work with some younger bowlers, give them some advice and help, pass on some things I learnt.”—Agencies