NEIL Fairbrother today joined Lancashire team mate Peter Martin as an injury doubt for England's last World Cup Group game at Karachi on Sunday.

Fairbrother aggravated his suspect left hamstring while batting in a warm-up game against a Karachi Select XI at the picturesque Gymkhana Ground.

He was clearly limping after an hour at the crease and although he battled on to 44, sharing a stand of 90 in 19 overs with Dermot Reeve, he turned Reeve back on several occasions. And after holing out to long-on, Fairbrother headed straight for the treatment table with England physio Wayne Morton.

The 32-year-old has suffered hamstring problems for a few years, but it had been fine on the World Cup trip as he has played in all four of England's Group games so far.

But now he must be a real doubt for the clash with Wasim Akram and Pakistan with less than 48 hours to recover.

Martin suffered a back spasm while training in Karachi.

He didn't play in today's game, but said: "I should be okay for Sunday. It's just something that happens now and then, but usually clears up quickly."

In the game, against a competitive Karachi side which included two former Pakistan Test players in wicket keeper Moin Khan and spinner Iqbal Sikander, England made 264 for 6 in their 50 overs.

Mike Atherton got back in the runs with a 56-ball half-century before falling caught behind to Sikander. It wasn't a vintage Atherton innings, but he did grow in confidence to loft Sikander for his sixth four to reach his 50 before edging an attempted cut next ball.

Atherton opened with Robin Smith, the Hampshire man's first innings of the tour. But after hitting three boundaries in the first over Smith added only one more in reaching 24 from 47 balls before his off stump was knocked out of the ground.

When Karachi launched their reply England gave a clue to their plans for Sunday with Stewart keeping wicket. Jack Russell and Graham Thorpe were the two other players to miss out today along with Martin.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.