Surrey have approached Yorkshire with the idea of putting back their Championship match at the Oval by 24 hours in order to hold the league fixture on June 12. They would start the game around 3 pm in an attempt to encourage schoolchildren to attend in the afternoon and businessmen in the evening.

``Overall, county membership figures are either static or going down so we have to attract new audiences by exploring new initiatives,'' Surrey's chief executive, Paul Sheldon, explained.

Yorkshire's general committee will consider Surrey's approach next week. Chris Hassell, Yorkshire's chief executive, said: ``I am hopeful the game will go ahead, even though at that time of the year it will not exactly be a floodlit match as the natural light lasts long into the evening. I am convinced cricket needs to attract a new audience and that this is something well worth considering seriously.

``Certainly Yorkshire will be aiming to include floodlights in the development of a new ground at Wakefield if that project goes ahead with the backing of our members.''

Wasim Akram, Pakistan's captain, played down an apparent pitch confrontation with the Australian spinner Shane Warne during yesterday's World Series one-day international in Adelaide.

Following Pakistan's 12-run defeat of Australia, Wasim admitted words were exchanged after he had been stumped off Warne's bowling but said he did not know what it was about.

``I can't explain it,'' Wasim said. ``I never found out what he was saying. I answered him back . . . . but it was a friendly sort of thing.'' Adding that he had no problem with Warne, Wasim put the exchange down to ``heat of the moment''.

Warne was one of three players who alleged that on a previous tour of Pakistan they had been offered money to throw a Test against the home side. The allegations were not substantiated in a subsequent enquiry although all three players refused to give evidence in Pakistan.

Yesterday, the off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq took a career-best five for 29 to lead Pakistan to victory as Australia collapsed chasing 224. Pakistan were dismissed for 223 in 49.5 overs but then restricted the previously unbeaten Australia to 211 in 47.5 overs.

The Pakistanis sealed their win in the 46th over of the Australian innings, Saqlain claiming the top-scorer Steve Waugh for 57 and Tom Moody for eight, while Paul Reiffel was run out without scoring.