JEDDAH, 6 March — Pakistan’s world record holder opener Saeed Anwar hopes to fully recover from a wrist injury in a month, in time for the forthcoming home series against New Zealand.

Pointing to the right wrist, the affable Anwar told Arab News at a reception hosted in his honor by the Jeddah Cricket League at the Lasani restaurant here: “It was a hairline stress fracture and the doctor advised me full rest for three months. Imran (Khan) had a similar fracture and he was out of the game for one and a half years.” “

With all the cross-bat shots that I had been playing all these years, it had to happen,” he added jocularly.

A bearded Anwar who performed Haj this year, has of late been devoting much of his time toward spreading the message of Islam in Pakistan and increasing his knowledge of the religion. “The fracture also gave me time to perform Haj this year,” said Anwar whose 194 is the highest individual score in one-dayers.

He said he hoped to be fit in time for the New Zealand series. “I will have to undergo physiotherapy and after getting medical clearance, I will start practice. Hopefully, I will be ready by the time the New Zealanders arrive,” he said.

“I am happy that the team did well against the West Indies in matches played in Sharjah,” said Anwar who has been out of cricket since the Sharjah Cup.

He said he was happy that international cricket was coming back to Pakistan. “The Asian Test Championship final against Sri Lanka brings back international cricket to Pakistan. I am glad that it is happening,” he said.

Cullinan out of S. African

team over pay dispute

In Port Elizabeth, South Africa’s preparations for Friday’s second Test against Australia have been thrown into turmoil after batsman Daryll Cullinan withdrew following a pay row.

Cullinan, 35, walked out of the squad yesterday when his demand for a contract until next year was refused by Gerald Majola, chief executive of the United Cricket Board.

Western Province left-handed batsman Graeme Smith, 21, was picked to replace Cullinan in the match starting at Newlands Friday. It will be Smiths first international cap.

Selection convenor Rushdi Magiet said the batting order would probably be re-shuffled because Smith is an opening batsman, while Cullinan had been due to bat at number four.

Magiet said Cullinan had been a strong candidate to take over as captain if Shaun Pollock does not pass a fitness test on an injured side which kept him out of the first Test.

Vice-captain Mark Boucher led the side in Johannesburg when they were beaten by an innings and 360 runs, but Magiet said it was not certain that he would again stand in for Pollock, whose injury has not responded well to treatment.

But with Cullinan out, Boucher will again most probably be captain if Pollock withdraws.m Majola said he was disappointed at Cullinan’s attitude. “Daryll insisted that we give him nothing less than an A Category UCB contract until 2003 for him to play in this match instead of the Test match fee which is paid to non-contracted players. The UCB policy states that a player can be offered a contract in the middle of the season after he has played two Test matches or six One-Day Internationals in that season. Daryll does not fit those criteria.

“Daryl also demanded that he be given that contract until the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Our current player contracts expire at the end of April and we are not in a position to make an exception for Daryll.”

Majola said he was disappointed that Cullinan had refused to play for his country under the same circumstances as other players who were called up to the national side.