MANCHESTER, July 26: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer insisted on Wednesday that hard-hitting all-rounder Shahid Afridi who injured his elbow during nets on Tuesday would be fit to take his place when the second match of the four-Test series begins Thursday.

“Afridi is fit and available,” said the coach before playing down reports that Shoaib Akhtar was on the brink of an imminent return from an ankle injury.

“Shoaib Akhtar on a bouncy pitch would be a handful. Unfortunately, he's not ready. He's still 10 days away from bowling properly in a match and then he's got to get match-fit before he could get in the team.

“We don't have Shoaib Akhtar available for this match or the next Test (at Headingley),” Woolmer insisted.

And he said that while Pakistan had thought of calling up leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, currently at English county Sussex, slow bowlers had not been a potent force in recent Old Trafford Tests, citing the performance of Australia's Shane Warne in last year's drawn Ashes clash as an example.

“I've watched cricket a lot here in the last four years and spinners haven't been devastating.” Warne's figures were nought for 74 in the second innings against England last year and he's one of the greatest leg-spinners of all time.

Woolmer, a former England Test player, sympathised with England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff who is set to miss the season due to ankle injury.

“It's hard on Andrew. I'm glad they've sorted out what the problem is and that he'll get fit again because he's obviously very important to English cricket.

“But we have to play well to beat any side that England produce and we don't consider them a walkover or a pushover just because Flintoff's not playing. We can't worry about their players.” —AFP