21 August 1999

Stewart blames lack of confidence

Peter Deeley

When the going got tough, England's batsmen got out, Alec Stewart said yesterday. Tiredness had nothing to do with another below-par performance, the former England captain admitted.

"We have good players but we haven't scored the totals we should have done. Confidence probably has a part to play," he said.

Of Nasser Hussain's dismissal, Stewart said: "He's a good hooker, which brings him a percentage of his runs, but he picked the fielder out and he will be disappointed."

The England and Wales Cricket Board are investigating allegations that spinner Phil Tufnell swore at two young autograph hunters on the boundary during the first day.

Stand-in coach Graham Gooch said the team management had spoken to Tufnell and would be looking further into the complaint. "At this stage, we would say there is no truth in the allegations, from what the player has told us."

Match referee Peter van der Merwe had a "quiet word" with Michael Atherton for knocking off a bail when he was dismissed. "I'm not taking any action but this is not the done thing," he said.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)