Marble slab has Pakistan ready to face Harmison's barrage

If Pakistan manage to see off Steve Harmison on their way to a series win over England, they may attribute their success to a slab of marble-topped granite.

The tourists used the slab, bought in a London store by their coach, Bob Woolmer, in the nets at Old Trafford yesterday to prepare their batsmen for Harmison's steepling bounce in the second Test, which starts today.

"Javed Miandad, I think, introduced it and it's really interesting how the ball pings off it," Woolmer said.

He revealed it was used to get the Pakistan batsmen used to rearing deliveries. "If you don't have players of pace in your bowling line-up to test our batsmen, you have to test them some other way during practice," he added.

"The players enjoy using it, I don't know why because it makes a thud. But I think it's a really good coaching tool. If the opposition have a Brett Lee or a Harmison who gets steep bounce you have to try and replicate that."

However, one man in the touring party may be less keen on the innovative training aid, namely Pakistan's coach driver - he has to lug the heavy slab from the coach to the nets in a wheelbarrow.