Kamal: 'The conditions were to blame'

Pakistan made a shaky start on the first day of their tour game against the Board President's XI in Dharamsala, closing on 165 for 5 after their batsmen failed to lay a solid foundation. Afterwards, Asim Kamal blamed the bleak conditions and the state of the wicket for their slow progress.

"This wicket is slow and has a low bounce and the batsman can't play many shots easily," said Kamal, who was Pakistan's leading batsman on the day with an unbeaten 43. But he acknowledged the fact his team would have to be ready for such slow wickets when the Tests gets underway next week. "Looking at it [the Dharamsala wicket] all of us are ready for the slow turners for the rest of the tour."

However, Kamal agreed that when on tours players have to be ready for these kind of varied conditions. "You've to be prepared to face different kind of wickets and situations when on a foreign tour."

Asked about the Board President's bowling attack he made a dismissive remark, saying: "There was nothing extraordinary about the bowlers."

Kamal is fighting for a berth in the lower-middle order with Shoaib Malik, whose bowling action is currently under scrutiny from the ICC. But, according to their coach Bob Woolmer, he has a definite chance of making into the XI solely as a batsman. Kamal, who feels he comes up trumps when under pressure, left it to the team management to decide who was the best man for the job.

Meanwhile, the Board President's team suffered a setback when their offspinner, Ramesh Powar, suffered a finger injury on his bowling hand, while attempting to take a caught-and-bowled. He was treated by the Pakistan physio and is not likely to take any further part in the game.