Shoaib set for Surrey bow

Shoaib Akhtar will lift Surrey as they attempt to avoid relegation © Getty Images

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Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is set to make his Surrey debut on Tuesday as they step up their fight against relegation in their LV County Championship Division One clash with Hampshire.

Shoaib, who arrived in the UK and trained with the squad on Monday morning, will take his place in a side virtually unchanged from that which suffered another unlucky rain-affected draw against Kent last week.

Chris Jordan is still sidelined with soft tissue damage in his right hip, while Mark Butcher and Chris Schofield are also still out of contention.

Matthew Spriegel keeps his place in the squad, with Murtaza Hussain bolstering the spin options.

Chris Tremlett returns to the Hampshire squad after a heel injury and England commitments have limited his appearances for the county this season.

Caretaker-manager Giles White could make as many as three changes to the side that beat Durham at Basingstoke 10 days ago.

Michael Brown and John Crawley are also available after recovering from lower-back injuries. Brown has missed Hampshire’s last two championship matches while Crawley has not been available for the last four.

Brown captained Hampshire to victory in last Monday’s second XI Trophy final and will be looking to take that form into a game with the first-team.

Jimmy Adams and Chris Benham’s outstanding recent one-day form has not been matched in the longer form of the game recently and both are likely to make way as the championship season reaches a thrilling finale.