Pathan has shoulder injury: Middlesex

India's all-rounder Irfan Pathan has a shoulder injury and he might not play for English County Middlesex next week.

This was indicated by Middlesex captain Ben Hutton after their four-day Frizzel County Championship against Surrey, which ended in a draw at Lord's in London on Saturday evening.

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"Alan Richardson has bowled well all season but he has worked hard for that and Irfan Pathan has a shoulder injury. He could be struggling to play next week," Hutton said after the match.

Pathan, who had scored 68 in the Middlesex's first innings, was not required to bat in the second innings yesterday. The paceman did not pick any wickets.

Hutton said he was in no position to declare and try to force a result on the fourth and final day yesterday which ended with Middlesex at 353 for six in their second innings.

Earlier, replying to Middlesex's first innings score of 437, Surrey had made 460 in their first innings. Both sides will share 12 points each from the match.

"With the pressure on in the morning the game was in the balance. We had to bat well and to get to lunch with two down was a good effort," he said.

"We felt on this pitch we weren't in a position to bowl them out."

For Surrey, Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh captured 1 for 37 in the second innings. He had bagged 2 for 87 in the first innings.

Harbhajan will be with Surrey for another six weeks as they attempt to make upwards move before he departs for international one-day duty and he may even return to the county in mid-August if a proposed India tour of Zimbabwe fails to materialise.

Surrey coach Steve Rixon was all praise of the off-spinner

"Harbhajan has to be classified as one of the great off-spin bowlers in the modern game and I am sure he will run through sides for us," Rixon said.

"Maybe he is trying too hard and paying the penalty for that, but I have no doubt that he will do the business," he added.

The Turbanator also hogged space in The Sunday Observer that wrote today: "He never looked like running through Middlesex yesterday, but one could hardly blame Harbhajan for that on a surface that offered precious little succour to the twirling brigade.

"Save for occasional variable bounce from the Nursery End, there was not too much in it for seam bowlers, either."