Rana injures groin in county match

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has picked up a groin injury while playing for Sussex during the ongoing county season though it is thought not to be a serious injury.

Rana, who has made a tremendous impact for the county since joining them last summer, was injured during Sussex's win over Middlesex over the weekend. Mark Robinson, Sussex coach, however, said scans had shown that the injury was not serious. "He has had a scan and there is no tear. He has tweaked his groin but we still hope he may be fit for the Lancashire match. If not he should definitely play against Hampshire before joining Pakistan."

Rana is due to return to Pakistan to attend a training camp this month before he returns to England in the summer with the touring Pakistan side. Pakistan will be keen for him to get over the injury and not just because of the uncertainty surrounding Shoaib Akhtar's fitness.

Since joining Sussex, Rana has taken 88 wickets in just over 13 matches; this season, in five matches he has taken 34 wickets at 13.66 and in tandem with Mushtaq Ahmed (42 wickets in six matches), has led Sussex to the top of the County championship, with five wins in six matches. His experience and success in English conditions is likely to play a key role for Pakistan later this summer.

Despite the injury, Sussex are contemplating a possible replacement for the second half of the summer when Rana will be with Pakistan, and another Pakistani - all-rounder Yasir Arafat - tops the list.

Arafat has been playing league cricket in Scotland for Clydesdale, who have agreed to release him from his contract with them. Robinson told the BCC Sport website, "He's got a yard of pace, he's a very organised batsman and a good fielder."

Arafat has played six one-day internationals, most recently against India at Karachi in February but he was not named in a preliminary 21-man squad for the England tour and the Pakistan Cricket Board have given him permission to join Sussex.

He comes recommended by Mushtaq. "Mushtaq recommends him highly as an improving and hungry cricketer," Robinson said. "All we want is for him to give 100 per cent and the rest, as Mushie would say, is up to God."