Cricket: Hussain: Asians born here should be cheering on England; SKIPPER'S RALLYING CRY.

Byline: Mike Walters, Cricket Correspondent

NASSER HUSSAIN wants ethnic Asians living in Britain to support England's cricket team - but Imran Khan says his plea is doomed to fall on deaf ears.

Hussain, who was born in Madras but moved to this country at the age of five, has called on young Asians to examine their loyalties and aspire to play for England instead of Pakistan or India.

But just 72 hours before England's showdown with Pakistan at Old Trafford, Test legend Imran has warned that Hussain is wasting his time.

Pakistan's World Cup-winning skipper in 1992 even said cricket fans of Asian descent here will always follow their ancestral nation "even though they have probably never been there".

Ironically, the row comes with two Pakistan-born batsmen, Owais Shah and Usman Afzaal, on the brink of an England call-up.

England skipper Hussain, who misses the Manchester Test with a broken thumb, spoke out after seeing large pockets of support for Pakistan from within the British Asian community at Lord's last week. He said: "I cannot understand why those born here, or who came here at a very young age like me, cannot support England.

"It makes you wonder if we're picking enough of these Asian lads and if they are coming up through the ranks. But you also have to ask: Are those born here doing enough? Are they making themselves available and stating their ambition to play for England?

"I want to be constructive because, with my own background, I believe I have an opportunity to bring the cricket establishment and the Asian community together."

But Imran, who married British multi-millionaire Sir James Goldsmith's daughter Jemima, hit back: "Asians in Britain will always identify with the subcontinent, even though they have probably never been there, but at least they feel a part of it."

In Pakistan before Christmas, Hussain was the No.1 autograph hunters' target and he was bombarded with questions about his heritage and religion.

He confided: "They kept asking me, 'Hey, Hussain, where are you from? Are you a Muslim?' But I didn't dare tell them that everything I am is English."

Warwickshire's Nick Knight will replace injured skipper Hussain in the Second Test, and he said: "I've always seen it as a challenge to fight back and keep going."

In another controversial sideshow to the Old Trafford clash, Darren Gough has rapped Lord Condon over some of his recommendations to stamp out match-fixing.

Gough said: "I've done nothing wrong and don't see why I should be treated like a suspect."

England squad for 2nd Test

Alec Stewart (Surrey) 38 109

Mike Atherton (Lancs) 33 109

Mark Trescothick (Som'set) 25 10

Graham Thorpe (Surrey) 31 67

Michael Vaughan (Yorks) 26 10

Ian Ward (Surrey) 27 1

Nick Knight (Warwicks) 31 16

Dominic Cork (Derbys) 29 32

Robert Croft (Glam) 31 20

Andy Caddick (Som'set) 32 44

Darren Gough (Yorks) 30 50

Matthew Hoggard (Yorks) 24 1

CAPTION(S):

CHEER WE GO: Nasser Hussain is urging ethnic Asians (left) to get behind the England team