Pakistan have sounded out Mushtaq Ahmed about playing against England in the second Test next week.

Team manager Zaheer Abbas spoke to the Sussex leg spinner yesterday to confirm that he was fully fit and available for selection.

The 36-year-old returned to action against Middlesex in the Championship yesterday after 17 days out with a trapped nerve in his neck.

He said: "Zaheer called me just to make sure I was fully fit and I told him there were no problems.

"I'm available but I don't expect to hear any more until the end of this week."

Mushtaq has played 52 Tests but just two Tests since March 2001 although his chances of a recall are improving after Pakistan's depleted attack suffered another injury setback.

Abdul Razzaq is out of the three-day match against Northamptonshire which starts today because of a sore back.

If he is called up, Mushtaq will probably link up with the squad on Sunday but a decision on whether he plays at Old Trafford next Thursday could be made as late as Wednesday.

And if he were not selected he could still play for Sussex in their next Championship match against Warwickshire, which starts on the same day as the Test.

Pakistan's chairman of selectors Wasim Bari has hinted that the final decision will be made by captain Inzamam ul-Haq.

He said: "Inzamam knows Mushtaq better than anyone else and if he wanted him to play, because of the special circumstances, we would support him. We have had four or five injuries in the team and we may have to look at the selection of the team differently next week."

If Mushtaq is called up Sussex will register 24-year-old leg-spinner Imran Tahir as his replacement.

Cricket manager Mark Robinson said: "Imran is a different type of leg spinner to Mushtaq but we have been impressed with him in the second team since he joined us last month."