Sports news: Test for new Pakistan captain in final Test against Australia

 LEEDS: Pakistan will be without former captain Shahid Afridi for the second and final Test against Australia at Headingley starting here on Wednesday.

But they could also be without leg-spinner Danish Kaneria too if they decide to recall off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal in a bid to counter the left-handers in Australia's top order.

Opener Salman Butt has been promoted to the captaincy after Afridi's first game back playing Test cricket in four years saw him unsuccessfully try to slog his way out of trouble and then announce his retirement from the five-day game.

Afridi was then ruled out of the Headingley match and Pakistan's subsequent four Tests against England with a side strain.

Butt, formerly the vice-captain, led by example at Lord's with scores of 63 and 92 as he became the only Pakistan batsman to make a fifty in the match which Pakistan lost by a huge margin of 150 runs.

The 25-year-old left-hander now has the additional burden of captaincy.

But in Afridi's absence, a batting line-up that featured two debutants at Lord's in Azhar Ali and Umar Amin should be bolstered by the recall of former captain Shoaib Malik.

At Lord's, Pakistan lost 11 wickets in total to Shane Watson, who took five in their mediocre first innings, and occasional off-spinner Marcus North, who produced astonishing figures of six for 55.

Victory gave Australia a record 13th straight Test win in a row over Pakistan and even though Headingley has a reputation for aiding swing bowlers, which will suit the likes of Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, runs will be at a premium.

For Australia the only worries are whether seamer Ben Hilfenhaus (shoulder) and North (illness), who both missed training on Monday, will be fit.

The uncapped duo of seamer Peter George and Usman Khawaja are waiting in the wings if needed.

And the way in which debutants Tim Paine and Steven impressed at Lord's suggests George and Khawaja will not be found wanting if given the chance.

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.