Salman Butt will captain Pakistan for the first time Wednesday in the second Test against Australia at Headingley, marking a new era for Pakistani cricket – a mere eight days after the previous new era had apparently dawned. A week is a long time in the highly politicized world of Pakistan cricket. On July 13, Shahid Afridi returned to the Test arena for the first time in four years to captain Pakistan in its nominal home Test with Australia, played at Lord's due to the security situation in Pakistan. Yet before the game had even finished Afridi had resigned and after Pakistan's 150-run defeat he announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. Butt, previously the vice captain, admitted that while the news was unexpected, he wasn't shocked by Afridi's decision. “I knew nothing about it beforehand, but I have respect for his honest opinion,” Butt told cricinfo.com “Being vice captain meant that if anything goes wrong you are the next man, so I was partially ready for something like this, but I didn't expect him to retire like this.” If retiring smacked of an overreaction, Afridi was at least partially culpable for his side's defeat. His shot selection, particularly in the second innings, was poor by his own admission. “With my temperament I can't play Test cricket,” he said. “It is better if a youngster comes in my place, probably a genuine batsman or even a genuine bowler.” Yet for periods of the Lord's Test Pakistan was on top, and for the second Test Butt can call on arguably the most exhilarating pace bowling attack in international cricket. Umar Gul, Mohammad Amer and Mohammad Asif swung the ball prodigiously in Australia's first innings at Lord's, to dismiss Ricky Ponting's side for 253. The problem lies with a batting lineup short on Test experience and patience – Butt was the only Pakistan batsmen to score a 50 in either innings. Having banned former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf for life after the 3-0 Test series defeat in Australia in the winter, the Pakistan Cricket Board subsequently left the door open for both men to return. Yousuf told reporters in Karachi Monday that he would be prepared to play under Butt, but logistical reasons make it unlikely he will be able to reach Leeds in time. Younus, playing county cricket in England with Surrey, is a more realistic option, but Afridi's place is likely to be taken by Shoaib Malik, while spinner Danish Kaneria could make way for Saeed Ajmal. Australia demonstrated at Lord's exactly what can be achieved with discipline and application. Nobody would argue Marcus North is a better bowler than Shane Warne, but he managed to do something Warne never did by getting his name on the honors board at Lord's with 6-55. North's offspinners were innocuous, but the minimal turn he extracted from the pitch was enough to tempt Pakistan's batsmen into a series of shots that would have been understandable in a Twenty20 game, but were absurd given the match situation on day four, as Pakistan chased an improbable 440 for victory. North, however, missed training Monday through illness and could miss the Headingley Test, along with Ben Hilfenhaus, who injured a shoulder while fielding at Lord's. Peter George is on standby to make his Test debut if Hilfenhaus fails to recover, although Clint McKay is also in contention. Usman Khawaja, an uncapped 23-year-old who was born in Pakistan, is in line to replace North, meaning Australia's lineup could be almost as inexperienced as Pakistan's. This didn't concern vice captain Michael Clarke however, who attributed much of his side's recent success to the stability under captain Ponting. “I guess we are lucky to have had ‘Punter' for such a long time,” he said. “Having such a class player, let alone a great leader, helps the younger, inexperienced guys come through and learn faster.” One area where Pakistan should have an edge is in crowd support from the local Asian community, who are being encouraged to watch the climax of a series being played in England because of security concerns in Pakistan.
