Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson made the following statement at The County Ground on Wednesday July 4th.

"Somerset County Cricket Club, in conjunction with Boundary Sports, who are the team's kit sponsors, are pleased to announce that Pakistan Test players Shoaib Akhtar and Aamer Sohail, have agreed to play for the county against the visiting Australians, in the match which starts at Taunton on Friday July 13th.

The Chief Executive continued: "This is an important development against a background of the English Cricket Board wishing that the visiting touring sides would play against regional teams, as part of the Test set up. Too many of the counties have put out weak sides, resting key players for important promotion or relegation matches.

"Though we have rested players in the past we have always put out competitive sides, and last year we beat the West Indies."

Mr Anderson went on: "I appeal to all cricket fans in the South West of England to support the tourist match so that I may present evidence to the E.C.B. that the Somerset fixture should remain.

"To make way for the two visiting players Somerset will be resting Richard Johnson and Steffan Jones. The presence of Shoaib Akhtar and Aamer Sohail will more than make up for their absence. Akhtar has said that he wishes to bowl "very fast" against the Australians, and that this match is a chance for him to show that he is still able to play at the highest level. Sohail is a proven run scorer, and scored 205 against England at Manchester in 1992.

"The chance to see Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee, perhaps two of the fastest bowlers in the world at Taunton in the same match is bound to attract considerable interest from cricket followers across the region," the Chief concluded.

With regard to the issue of security for the match he said: "Obviously in the light of the NatWest one-day series we are concerned about security. We will be taking steps over the four days of the match to make sure that we have staff to deal with any problems that may or may not arise."

© Somerset CCC