Shoaib caught on camera tampering ball

LONDON - The Pakistani cricket team, which is under the scanner for alleged spot-fixing, invited fresh trouble as comeback fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was caught on camera tampering the ball during the fifth One-dayer against England at the Rose Bowl Wednesday.

In photographs released by Daily Mail Thursday, Akhtar was seen apparently running his left thumb along the ball’s seam before dropping the ball on the ground and standing on it with his spiked right boot.

The pictures were taken in the 41st over of England’s innings as Shoaib prepared to bowl to Paul Collingwood.

This is not the first time Shoaib, 35, has come under the spotlight at the Rose Bowl.

Four years ago, he was filmed by Sky cameras flicking at the ball with his thumb during a One-day international here against England.

On that occasion, Shoaib was cleared but was warned about his behaviour after being accused of tampering with the ball during a Test match in Zimbabwe in late 2002.

The following year he was banned for two ODIs and fined 75 percent of his match fee after being found guilty of the same crime against New Zealand in Sri Lanka.