Date-stamped : 14 Nov95 - 06:32
Side`s worries over, says Wasim Akram

Qamar Ahmed BRISBANE, Nov 6  Both  the  Pakistan  and  Australian
teams arrived in Brisbane on Monday with a promise that the first
Test of the three- match series will be played in the best  spir-
its  despite fears that the series will be marred by incidents on
and off the field because of the bribery allegations made against
the  former Pakistan captain, Salim Malik.  Soon after landing at
the  Brisbane  airport,  the Pakistan  captain,   Wasim    Akram,
reiterated  that as far as his team was concerned they were quite
relaxed and ready for the first Test starting on Thursday at  the
Gabba  ground.  We have left our worries behind. The ICC has made
it  clear  and that the case of Malik is closed.  Our  main  pur-
pose of being here is to play cricket  and  positive cricket  and
that is what we are looking forward to, said Akram.   The  series
labelled  as  the battle of  the  gladiators  is  surely bound to
attract a lot of attention, especially  because  Australia  early
this  year  uncrowned  the  West Indians in the Caribbean  with a
series win to become the first team to win a series in  21  years
in the West Indies.  Pakistan  beat  Australia  last  year  in  a
series at  home  and now the meeting of the two is being  watched
with interest.  The Pakistan manager Intikhab Alam also thinks it
is going to be a contest which would attract a lot of  attention.
The  Australian captain, Mark Taylor, also aired confidence about
his  team  for  the  Test.  We are looking forward to a good game
against Pakistan. McDermott is back in the side and he is a world
class  bowler  and  will  make  a  lot of difference to the side.
Talking about the simmering row over bribery allegations he said,
It  is  over but I don`t know if it is going to be over for ever.
During  the nets today all eyes will once  again  be  focused  on
Shane  Warne  and  Mark  Waugh who will be practising next to the
Pakistan Squad`s nets with Salim Malik, the man whom they accused
of trying to bribe them only yards away.

Source :: Dawn Wire Service

<END> Contributed by Srinivas (srini@*.uquebec.ca)