MANCHESTER, England, 17 June 2003 — Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said here yesterday he was not expecting too much of his new look side in their three-match one-day series with England

“I’m not expecting us to win every game,” Latif told reporters at Old Trafford where the series begins with a day night match today.

Pakistan are now without eight of the players — including star bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis as well as batsmen Saeed Anwar and Inzamamul-Haq - who featured in the team’s first round World Cup exit earlier this year.

“At this moment we are just trying to give our youngsters a chance, trying to fill the slots left by the stars,” Latif explained.

Pakistan go into the series on the back of convincing wins against English counties Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

And Latif, whose words were translated into English by Pakistan manager Haroon Rasheed, said some of the players who shone in those matches could be stars of the future. “Yasir Hameed is a very good batsman, very technically correct. And Mohammad Hafeez, the opener replacing Shahid Afridi, is another good batsman who can be aggressive but also play according to the situation. He’s an off-spinner as well.”

And 34-year-old wicketkeeper Latif insisted Pakistan cricket as a whole was capable of regaining its place among the world elite. “After the World Cup people started saying there was no talent in Pakistan cricket. But I was playing first-class cricket in Pakistan, I knew there was talent.

“Look at all the (English) counties. They are always after our players,” added Latif, whose team called up all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from Middlesex on Friday to replace the injured Faisal Athar.

When Pakistan last met England, at the World Cup, they went down to a 112 run defeat under the Cape Town lights with Lancashire paceman James Anderson taking four for 28. “Anderson is a good prospect but you cannot judge a player by one game,” Latif insisted. “He bowled well in helpful conditions (England were bowling second) and in the next match (India’s) Ashish Nehra did the same to them.

Pakistan won the post World Cup Sharjah tournament and reached the final of another in Sri Lanka. And Latif said this would give his team a boost against an England side, also looking to bounce back from a first round World Cup exit with a new-look team. “We have the advantage of having played two tournaments but England have the advantage of home conditions.” When Pakistan last toured England, in 2001, the one-day series was marred by pitch invasions by their supporters and Latif re-iterated his calls for calm.

“I’ve told people not to disrupt matches. I’ll be very happy if I see there’s no-one on the pitch.”