Shoaib Akhtar is never too far away from the news.

Despite saying on Sunday that he'll not talk to the media, he broke his promie when yesterday he disclosed he will take legal action against Indian satellite channel ESPN Star Sports if they don't apologise for what he reckons were "derogatory remarks" against him. 

The remarks in question apparently came via Jason Daisey and his crew at Sports Centre who probably ran a story over the weekend about  his 2-day late arrival at the training camp organised for the list of probables ahead of the series against England (the camp has now concluded) in which they allegedly made a reference to his dodgy fitness and disciplinary record when saying "a dog's tail never straightens".

Ah, well, this just proves, it never does after all. I'm not too sure many lawyers will be keen to take his case, after all, if players could actually sue broadcasting agencies and media corporations for making "derogatory remarks" about them and get away with it, then the likes of Rikkie Clarke and Anthony McGrath would be the richest cricketers in England.

Clearly though this hasn't been a particularly good week for him, for this follows last Monday's remarks from John Elliot, the chairman of Worcestershire County Cricket Club where Shoaib was overseas professional last season, that he caused "mayhem" to the team spirit. 

But not all the coverage he gets is negative, certainly not if all rumors are to be believed. According to unreliable sources Shoaib has, after all, agreed to shorten his run up. Such advice has frequently come in the past from our coach, Bob Woolmer, as well as the likes of former captain Imran Khan. Shoaib has chosen to ignore it until he was reported persuaded by Wasim Akram, who had been attending the training camp in Lahore on the coach's request. And because of all the above, we have continued the ritual of 'being-Shoaib-obsessed' in the leadup to whatever be the occasion.

Somethings never change ...

Post scriptum:  BTW if you find keeping up with all the various episodes of the Shoaib Akhtar Soap Opera too time consuming or tricky, worry not, help is always at hand. Sign up for free Google alerts for Shoaib Akhtar or indeed anything else and they'll deliver you any new story on your chosen subject as and when you please (i.e. weekly, daily, monthly or as-it-happens).