October 10 Thursday 2002
Shoaib warns Australia best is yet to come

SHARJAH: Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar has warned Australia that he will make life tougher for their batsmen in their remaining two Tests of the series.

Shoaib took five wickets for 21 runs in a fiery spell in Australia's second innings in the first Test at Colombo but the tourists still won the match by 41 runs.

"There will be more reverse swing in the dry Sharjah weather and Australian batsmen will have to be extra watchful," Shoaib told reporters on Wednesday.

"The conditions here in Sharjah are favourable for Pakistan and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't beat Australia. "We have the stuff.

Basically, it all boils down to stringing your act together. "Pakistan is the only side in the world who can beat Australia. We have enough talent and guts to beat the number one team in the world.

"I am not going to tell you how a batsman should face me, but they need to be extra brave when I am in the groove. "The two Ws (Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis) are legends when it comes to reverse swing. I have learned a lot from them."

Shoaib admits he is feeling the pressure of a full schedule, especially in the build up to the World Cup, and suggested that he should be "saved" for major matches.

"If we had won the Colombo Test, probably I would have opted out of the third game (against Australia). "But then it is all up to the management to decide how best they can utilise me in the long run."