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LAHORE, Sunday (AFP) - Pakistan's high speed pacer Shoaib Akhtar could be heading for the record books after apparently breaking the 100 miles per hour barrier bowling against New Zealand here Saturday.

Akhtar delivered a 161 kilometres (100.04 miles) per hour thunderbolt during the third and final one-day international, which if confirmed would rank him as the world's fastest bowler.

"I am delighted to bowl that fast and the speed machine is authentic and it should be acknowledged throughout the world," Shoaib Akhtar, 26, told AFP.

Akhtar, nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express after the rail service to his home town in Pakistan's Punjab province, fired his 161 kph delivery at New Zealand's Craig McMillan.

The delivery has already been authenticated by the Pakistan Cricket Board although there has been some doubts cast over the accuracy of the speed gun.

Akhtar, who has already caused controversy with crooked-arm deliveries blamed on a natural deformity, says he is ready to silence sceptics by repeating his feat.

"With my fitness and the speed I am generating, I can deliver over 100mph any day and I would be delighted if its accepted."

Akhtar's efforts will unseat the reigning speed king, Australian Jeff Thomson, who clocked 160.5 kph in Australia in 1975.

Australia's Brett Lee has also come close to the milestone, bowling at 159.5 kph in a one-day game in South Africa last month. He was overtaken by Akhtar at 159.7 kph only a few weeks later at Sharjah.

Following are some of Akhtar's recently recorded high speed deliveries:

Speed (kph) against date 161.Nzl April 4, 2002 160.Nzl April 4, 2002 159.7. Sri April 12, 2000 157.2. Aus June 9, 2001 156.Rsa March 29, 2000

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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