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Published 27 Jan, 2006 12:00am

Coach Woolmer happy with third Test pitch

KARACHI, Jan 26 Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer on Thursday described the National Stadium pitch lively for the third and deciding third Test starting from Sunday.

“Its typical Karachi pitch with fair amount of bounce and at later stage good for spinners,” he told media during a brief chat at NSK.

“Its nice square and pitches looked green. I am pleased to see the best square of the series three days prior to the Test match, Woolmer commented.

The pitch would be getting bit of routine trimming before being ready for the Test match.

He said weather disturbed the match in Lahore and Faisalabad pitch was too much in favour of batsmen.

Commenting on skipper Inzmamul Haq’s chances of playing the crucial third Test, he said “his chances of playing the third Test are 50/50.

Inzamam is working very hard on his fitness and we are crossing our fingers,” Woolmer added.

“If Inzamam failed fitness Test, Faisal Iqbal will be included in the team,” he remarked.

He said they will definitely missing allrounder Shoaib Malik, who he said was a fine cricketer.

Shoaib Malik will miss the third after passing away of his father in Sialkot.

In Shoaib Malik’s absence, it looked that left handed Imran Farhat or Kamran Akmal would be opening the innings with Salman Butt.

He, however, said speedster Shoaib Akhtar was in no real fitness problems and he was gearing up for third Test.

In the meantime majority of the players of Pakistan team rested in hotel but pacemen Muahmmad Sami, Rana Navedul Hasan, Muhammad Asif, opener Imran Farhat and Arshad Khan had a workout at the stadium.

Pakistan team will have a full training and net session at NSK on Friday at 2pm in build-up for the third Test.

—APP

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