LONDON, July 14: Injury-hit Pakistan suffered a fresh blow when coach Bob Woolmer said opening batsman Shoaib Malik was doubtful for the entire Test series against England. Malik was omitted from the ongoing first Test at Lord's with an elbow injury, which Pakistan had hoped an operation two months ago would cure.

But Woolmer, after the second day of the series here Friday, told reporters: “Shoaib Malik is doubtful for the whole series. His injury is not reacting to injections and he might not make it for the Tests.”Malik, 24, has scored 798 runs in 15 Tests at 39.90 with one century, 148 against Sri Lanka, in his last Test appearance at Colombo in May.

He can also bowl off-spin but he has twice been reported for an illegal action, most recently in November.

Pakistan are currently without spearhead fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who was omitted from the original tour party with an ankle injury.

Fellow paceman Rana Naved-ul-Hasan then had to withdraw from the tour before the four-Test series got underway with a groin problem

Vice-captain and senior batsman Younis Khan (knee) and fast bowler Mohammad Asif (elbow) were both missing from the Pakistan team at Lord's.

In their absence the tourists were 66 for three at stumps Friday in reply to England's first innings 528 for nine declared, a deficit of 462.

But former England batsman Woolmer was optimistic that Pakistan's injury crisis would have improved by the time the second Test started at Old Trafford on July 27.

“Younis Khan and Mohammad Asif are making good progress and we hope to have them available for the second Test,” he said.

Yasir shines

Meanwhile, Pakistan pace bowler Yasir Arafat starred for Sussex in their County Championship match against Kent on Friday grabbing three wickets at Hove while his international teammates toiled at Lord's.

The 24-year-old claimed the wickets of Darren Stevens (118) and Matthew Walker (87) before West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo (23) also fell to Arafat.

Fourth-placed Kent, replying to the second-placed hosts' first innings score of 399, closed on 295 for six - having found themselves in early trouble at 34 for three.

Ed Joyce scored 158 not out to help Middlesex's bid to move off the bottom of Division One.

The visitors slipped to 56 for two after captain Scott Styris had chosen to bat in the match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

But Joyce led the revival as Middlesex closed on 344 for five.

The 27-year-old shared in stands of 71 with Nick Compton (52) and 82 with Jamie Dalrymple (43), while debutant Paul Harris and fellow South African Neil Carter each took two wickets.

Former Zimbabwe Test player Andy Flower made an immediate impression on his return to the Essex line-up on day two of the match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Flower, back in the side after a back injury, made an undefeated 114 as the visitors reached 265 for four.

Flower put on 111 for the third wicket with Mark Pettini, as the visitors sought to overhaul Gloucestershire's first innings score of 394.

English cricket scores on Friday:

County Championship

Division One

At Riverside

Yorkshire 339 (A McGrath 140 no, D Lehmann 58) v Durham 64-2

At Trent Bridge

Hampshire 303-1 (J Adams 123 no, J Crawley 106 no) v Nottinghamshire

At Edgbaston

Middlesex 344-5 (E Joyce 158 no, N Compton 52) v Warwickshire

At Hove

Sussex 399 (M Yardy 134, M Goodwin 82, M Patel 4-101) v Kent 295-6 (D Stevens 118, M Walker 87)

Division Two

At Sophia Gardens

Leicestershire 354-6 (H Ackerman 177 no, P Nixon 60) v Glamorgan

At Northampton

Surrey 328 (A Brown 113, M Ramprakash 51, M Nicholson 4-84) v Northamptonshire 61-3

At Taunton

Derbyshire 374-9 (M North 132, C Taylor 60) v Somerset

At Bristol

Gloucestershire 394 (A Gidman 87, C Spearman 70, S Adshead 68) v Essex 265-4 (A Flower 114 no, M Pettini 59)—Agencies