KARACHI: Newly-appointed Pakistan Test
captain Shahid Afridi was of the view that three to four young players should be
included in the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup to be held in Sri Lanka from
June 15.

“We should have three to four new players along with the
seniors so that we can strike the right balance in the one-day side,” Afridi
said on Monday.

“I think the time is right to start grooming and
giving exposure to some of our young lot because we also have to keep the 2011
World Cup in mind,” he said.

Reminded that the selectors have
ignored young all-rounder Hammad Azam from the 35-member list of probables for
the Asia Cup and the subsequent tour to England even though he was part of the
Twenty20 World Cup squad in the West Indies, Afridi said neither he nor coach
Waqar had any hand in the selection of the T20 squad.

“The selectors
had picked that squad but as a matter of policy myself and the coach want to
give exposure to young players so that they can provide stable support and back
up to the seniors in future,” he said.

Afridi, however, refused to
comment on Shoaib Malik availability for the Asia Cup and England tour after the
PCB appeals tribunal had lifted the one-year ban imposed on the former skipper.

“It is something that concerns the board. As far as I am concerned
whoever is eligible for selection is an important player for me,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s long-serving manager Yawar Saeed said that he
did not foresee any problems in the team with the expected return of Malik.

Malik came in for sharp criticism from Afridi, former captain
Mohammad Yousuf, former coach Intikhab Alam and manager Abdul Raquib for his
behaviour and attitude on the troubled tours to New Zealand and Australia.

Malik was described as a intriguer and responsible for creating
disharmony in the team. But Yawar, who was not part of the Pakistan contingent
on twin tours of New Zealand and Australia, said he did not think there would be
any disciplinary issues on the upcoming series.

“All these players
have played before when I was manager and I faced no problems at all from them.
They know each other well so I don’t think it is a big thing if Malik or even
Younis Khan is selected in the side,” said Yawar, who was a member of the PCB
inquiry committee.

“There is no personality clash involved anymore
and the New Zealand and Australian tours are past. The code of conduct on tour
is the same for any player. I am confident no player will give me or PCB any
cause for complain,” he said.

LONDON: Steven Finn took five wickets
on his home debut as England beat Bangladesh by a convincing eight-wicket margin
in the first Test at Lord’s on Monday to go 1-0 up in this two-match series.

Bangladesh, following-on, were bowled out for 382 shortly before
lunch on the final day with Middlesex fast bowler Finn taking five wickets for
87 runs in 24 overs.

That gave the 6ft 7in paceman, who played his
first two Tests during England’s 2-0 series win in Bangladesh in March, match
figures of nine for 187.

England, set 160 to win in two sessions,
finished on 163 for two.

Andrew Strauss, the England captain, in his
first international match for several months after resting from the tour of
Bangladesh and missing the World Twenty20 triumph, as he no longer plays that
form of the game, made 82 before he was out with England 13 runs short of
victory.

Jonathan Trott, whose Test-best 226 was the centrepiece of
England’s first innings, was unbeaten on 36 after ending the match with a
boundary.

Kevin Pietersen was 10 not out.

Strauss, like
Finn playing on his home ground, square cut the first ball of England’s chase,
from Shahadat Hossain for four, to spark several boundaries in quick succession.

He was missed at slip against Mahmudullah’s on 28 but the
off-spinner did take a wicket when Alastair Cook, England’s other left-handed
opener, was lbw for 23.

Strauss went onto complete a run-a-ball
fifty with five fours before he was caught behind, by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur
Rahim, cutting against the spin of opposing captain Shakib Al Hasan, to end a
second wicket stand of 80.

Victory gave England their seventh win in
as many Tests against Bangladesh and left the Tigers with just three wins from
67 matches at this level.

But, compared to the corresponding Test
between the two sides at Lord’s five years ago, which England won by an innings
and 261 runs, there was no denying Bangladesh’s progress.

Earlier,
Finn took three wickets for eight runs in 15 balls on Monday to secure his place
on the Lord’s honours boards.

Bangladesh began the last day on 328
for five having seen Tamim Iqbal make 103 off just 100 balls on Sunday.

Junaid Siddique, 66 not out overnight, and Shakib, unbeaten on two,
took guard under cloudy skies favouring England’s seam attack.

England did not have long to wait for a sixth wicket with Shakib
cutting Finn straight to the bowler’s county colleague Eoin Morgan at point.

Siddique had, like Tamim, made a first innings fifty.

But there was to be no second innings hundred.

The
left-hander drove too soon at a clever Finn slower ball and was caught at
mid-off by Tim Bresnan for 74 to end nearly four-and-a-quarter hours of
resistance.

Bangladesh’s collapse continued when Mushfiqur was
caught behind off Finn for nought.

Finn, after a spell of three
wickets for 21 runs in eight overs, was replaced by Bresnan.

And the
Yorkshire paceman wrapped up the innings by dismissing Rubel Hossain and
Mahmudullah with the aid of catches by Strauss, at first slip, and wicketkeeper
Matt Prior respectively.

Bresnan finished with three for 93 from
26.2 overs.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 282 in their first
innings, senior paceman James Anderson leading the attack with four for 78 in
the absence of the rested Stuart Broad.

England’s first innings saw
Shahadat beat Tamim to a place on the honours boards with five wickets for 98
runs.

The second and final Test of this series starts at Old
Trafford on Friday.