Cricket: Nottinghamshire line up Shoaib

SHOAIB AKHTAR, the world's fastest bowler, is expected to join Nottinghamshire within the next few days, despite the threat of the county playing Second Division cricket next season.

Shoaib has been linked with a move to Trent Bridge ever since he made a spectacular impact in this summer's World Cup. "There are still a few things to be tied up but we're all excited about the prospect of working with him," Clive Rice, the Nottinghamshire cricket manager, said.

Shoaib - nicknamed the "Rawalpindi Express" - is understood to be excited by the challenge. Reports from Pakistan suggest the 24-year-old has been strongly influenced by the former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, who felt it would be beneficial for him to work with Rice, even if Nottinghamshire end up in the lower tier of the restructured County Championship.

In yesterday's Championship game at Old Trafford, Chris Schofield, an emerging wrist spinner, gave England hope for the future on a day of mixed fortunes on and off the pitch for Lancashire in the chase for the runners- up place against their fellow challengers, Kent.

Schofield, selected for this winter's England A tour to Bangladesh and New Zealand, underlined his promise by taking 4 for 89 as Kent reached a commanding 388 for 9 after a 169-run partnership between Alan Wells (84) and Andrew Symonds (99) put Kent in control.

Lancashire face the prospect of being without the services of their powerful all-rounder, Andrew Flintoff, for the remainder of their season after he suffered a suspected pulled muscle in his left side.

At Southampton, the Australian opener Jamie Cox batted all day, six and a half hours, for an unbeaten 165 as Somerset put on 291 for 2. Cox won the toss and Hampshire struggled without four key bowlers and did not help their cause by dropping four catches.

Matthew Maynard scored an impressive 186 on the first day of the match against Yorkshire at Headingley after winning the toss. He hit 21 fours from 271 balls in just over five hours to put his side in command on a docile pitch, Glamorgan ending the day on 395 for 7.