QUEENSTOWN, Jan 6: New Zealand's bid for a rare 2-0 series lead over Pakistan received a boost on Tuesday with dangerman Shoaib Akhtar almost certain to miss the second One-day International.

Pakistan manager Haroon Rasheed said it was "very unlikely" Shoaib would take the field here on Wednesday due to continuing problems with a painful groin injury.

A local doctor treating Shoaib has advised several days rest after the Rawalpindi Express took a nasty knock from a cricket ball after batting in the nets without a protector.

"The doctor said he's got some problems, and he has received treatment. He's still a bit sore and needs to rest, but he should be okay for the third match" in Christchurch on Saturday, Haroon said.

Pakistan still have an imposing lineup of speedsters - Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood - who can all reverse swing the ball, but Shoaib's absence will undoubtedly be welcomed in the New Zealand camp.

They are still smarting from his 11 for 78 haul in the second Test last week which gave Pakistan both the match and the Test series before withdrawing from Saturday's one day series opener.

The New Zealand Black Caps took full advantage of his absence in Auckland to win by four wickets with five balls to spare after being set a target of 230. It broke a run of seven consecutive losses - five of them to Pakistan - since they successfully chased 247 against India in Cuttack in November.

The increasing confidence in chasing targets would encourage New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming to bowl first on a Queenstown pitch he was more than happy with.

"It looks a pretty good surface and if the nets are anything to go by it'll be a ripper," Fleming said. "It might be the case that we bowl first. I'd like to think we're a more rounded team to do both... certainly in New Zealand I'd tend to favour bowling first."

Even without Shoaib in the equation, New Zealand still have the problem of bowling at the death after another disaster in Auckland where Moin Khan led an onslaught that reaped 102 runs in the final 10 overs, and 69 off the last five.

It poses a selection problem for if Ian Butler, who was rested in Auckland, is brought into the side it could be at the expense of Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori or Andre Adams who are all useful with the bat.

Fleming was giving nothing away about selection but said the death bowling was the obvious concern. "It's not an easy art to perfect, we want to get better, we're one of the poorest in the world at it and we're working very hard.

"There's a lot to think about and we've got to make it a little more simple. New Zealand have have won just 25 of 73 one-dayers against Pakistan, and rarely put two consecutive wins together against the hugely talented side that has batting depth, a solid pace attack and impressive spin bowling.

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