Date-stamped : 31 Jan1998 - 11:36 29 January 1998 Akram shadows hover as hot potato cooks up a century Trevor Chesterfield Randjesfoentein - A few months ago, star Pakistan Inzaman-ul-Haq, was called a "fat potato" by spectators in Canada during a limited-overs tournament involving India, but yesterday a much slimmer version opened his South African tour with a century. Inzamam, one of the heroes of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup glory has always been a little rotund. But he claimed he has lost about 6 kilos, which is not that much, but it's quite a sacrifice; no doubt the barbs which led to a bat-waving confrontation with a spectator have had some effect. It was a thumping good knock: 107 off 88 balls with 10 sixes and eight fours which kept some spectators from their salmon, caviar and champagne lunch in the corporate tents spread around the UCB country "estate" some 20 minutes drive from the Wanderers. While not quite as serious as the pre-tour openers at Arundel in England it provided exercise for some and entertainment for others; although the sight of tighter strokeplay from Aamir Sohail did not go unnoticed by those there to watch the game and not knock back another glass of bubbly stuff. There were other undertones, however. So while the Pakistan cauldron continued to bubble off the field with further accusatins about Wasim Akram's non selection regarding fitness, Inzamam felt after his innings he had shed enough weight to earn him a few more runs on this tour. A double century, three single tons and several 50s are on his menu, with the serious part of the tour opening in Kimberley tomorrow with a four day game against Griqualand West. As the coach, Haroon Rashid, pondered the lack of bite in the bowling attack he express some satisfaction with the score of 299 for four off 56 overs at what is a small ground, his thoughts also no doubt strayed to the missing pace ace from the attack, Akram. The NFO XI put together an entertaining 239 for six with Dale Benkenstein, the South African A and Natal captain, also helping himself. Tough, wiry and always, given the opportunity, looking to attack the bowling, Benkie managed an entertaining 94. And like Inzamam allowed the strokes to flow as fluently as any one in form. Off the field the action was just as flamboyant. Akram, it has been claimed, turned up in London earluere in the week saying the injury story was a fabrication. "I have not been asked by anyone to prove my fitness: not by either the board or the selectors," say reports now circulating in Pakistan. "I want to know what it is the Pakistan Cricket Board have against me as I would like to clear my name of any charges," he reported to have said. Late in the afterenoon the Akram saga is further fuled by Salim Aktaf, the chairman of the Pakistan selectors, who said he and the PCB were under the impresssion Akram was, or is, injured and were waiting for him to prove his fitness. This was to be in a domestic match. Which is where the murky depths of this soap opera has slipped. Part of the Akram impasse is that the PCB was told by the country's president, Mohammad Rafiq Tara, also the board's patron, not to consider Akram until match-fixing charges have been cleared up. Which suggest that fitness, as Akram claim, has "never been issue". As it stands, the match between the Pakistanis and the NFO XI at Oppenheimer Oval was typical of the picinic atmosphere ending in a draw. but the throngs at least enjoyed Inzmam's batting flair while the kids had a field day as Fanie de Villiers signed their autographs. Trevor Chesterfield Cricket writer Pretoria News tche@ptn.independent.co.za Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)