'Rawalpindi Express can shuttle Pakistan in top league'

Sydney, June 22 (UNI) ''Rawalpindi Express'' Shoaib Akhtar can shuttle Pakistan into the top league provided he stays fit for longer periods, asserts Pakistan coaching hopeful Geoff Lawson.

''He's a vital cog to them being top of the tree,'' said Lawson, who had a long conversation with Shoaib at a training camp and watched him bowl during his visit to the country for the interview for the post of Bob Woolmer's successor.

''At 32, he's still got two or three very good years left in him,'' he observed.

''I had a good chat to him and saw him bowl a bit in a practice game.

''He looks pretty good. He bowled four or five overs and bowled sharply. He looks fit and by all accounts has been training hard,'' Lawson was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.

However, he said the paceman's future was to be detemined by how well his body copes with recent operations.

''It depends how his knees go. He's had some knee surgery,'' Lawson said.

''Pakistan, like everyone else in international cricket, has a pretty hectic schedule coming up. A lot will depend on how players are managed. I'm sure they would like him to be fit three-quarters of the time.'' Even in the wake of Bob Woolmer's mysterious death, Lawson did not appear to be to concerned about the safety issue in Pakistan.

''I was pretty impressed with their organisation and I think it's blown out of proportion a little bit about safety issues in Pakistan,'' he said.

UNI