News that the International Cricket Council have commissioned a report into player burnout comes a little too late for this series. Both teams go into today's first Test with a better bowling attack sitting in the doctor's surgery than they can put out on the pitch.
England's injury travails are well documented, but Pakistan can probably trump them. Their No 1 seamer, Shoaib Akhtar, looks like missing most of the tour with a stress fracture of the ankle. Their No 2, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, dropped out earlier this week when it was confirmed that he would need groin surgery. And the No 3, Mohammad Asif, joined them yesterday, after failing to pass a fitness test on his sore elbow.
"We are pretty much down to the bare minimum," their coach, Bob Woolmer, said. "But there is no doubt that they are all fighters: it doesn't matter which team goes out there, they'll still fight all the way. Inzamam is a very respected captain and he has the players right behind him."
With hot weather forecast for the next few days, the prospects for Pakistan's bowlers do not look rosy.
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