Murray talks business

Pakistan's new South African fitness coach Murray Stevenson said Tuesday he was excited about the prospects of working with the team and determined to whip them into shape.

"In any sport you cannot excel without attaining top fitness (levels) and my aim would be to give Pakistani cricketers top fitness," Stevenson told AFP.

Barely 24 hours after arriving from South Africa's Cape Town, the 27-year-old trainer set about his task at Pakistan's tune-up camp ahead of next month's Asia Cup.

And it would appear he has his work cut out -- Pakistani players suffered a spate of injuries last season, with pacemen Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed and Umer Gul, as well as wicketkeeper Moin Khan, all succumbing to injury during the team's shattering 2-1 home series defeat against India.

Stevenson stressed that as cricket was a year-round game, the demands on players, and fast bowlers in particular, were immense in terms of fitness.

Having worked previously as a physical trainer for South African football clubs, Stevenson said his first reaction when offered his post with Pakistan's cricketers was one of excitement.

"I have been a keen follower of the Pakistan cricket team's progress and I am excited at the prospect of working with Akhtar, (fast bowler Mohammad) Sami and others."

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) replaced coach Javed Miandad with Bob Woolmer, a former England batsman who coached South Africa, and also hired Stevenson, who replaced the local man Tauseef Razzaq.

Pakistan's tune-up camp started Monday, with Woolmer set to join on Friday.

But there is no news on whether express bowler Akhtar, who is currently playing for Durham county in England, will play in the Asia Cup.

Doubt surrounded an injury Akhtar sustained in the last Test against India in April.

The PCB formed a medical commission to assess his injury, and while clearing him of wrongdoing, it issued him with a warning after the PCB said the medical reports proved inconclusive.

Last month, Akhtar said the doubts over his injury had hurt him mentally.

Meanwhile, captain Inzamamul Haq has urged the PCB to implement a central contract system, similar to that used by Australia, England and India.

He suggested that only such a system would stop the exodus every summer to the English counties, a phenomenon which he reckoned was responsible for the multitude of injuries and fitness problems that Pakistan's bowlers have suffered in recent seasons.

Talking to the media at Pakistan's National Cricket Academy, he said, "We talk about and compare ourselves with Australia and India. But we don't follow the central contact system being practiced by them."

Soon after the defeat against India two months ago, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam's vice-captain, had made a similar request. The PCB dismissed the idea then.

Pakistan are defending Asia Cup champions, having won the title in 2000.

The six-nation event is scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka from July 16 to August 1 and features the hosts, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.