Alec Stewart's Diary

In the latest entry in his exclusive winter diary for CricInfo, Alec Stewart gives some strong hints on the composition of the England team for the First Test, and how England have been preparing for Pakistan's spinners. There's his own view of the umpiring controversy in the game against the Governor's XI at Peshawar, and a memorable experience away from the cricket.

Both the first class games out here in Pakistan have gone well - everyone's spent some time in the middle, batting or bowling. If I were to guess the type of wicket for the First Test in Lahore I'd say it'll turn! That mustn't come as a surprise to us - we've got to be mentally prepared to play their spinners, and our spinners need to be ready to bowl well on a turning wicket. We've prepared well - in the nets we've had local spinners bowling to us, we've roughed up net wickets and put loose soil down so the ball's turned and bounced. If it's a turning wicket at Lahore I'd be amazed if we don't play two spinners. We've picked them for the tour so we've got to back them.

From my own point of view it was nice to get back to playing again - the last eight or nine days have seen plenty of talking, not much playing - press conferences, media interest etc. It's just good to get back to the sport I love, which has been my life, and it was nice to perform as well. I've treated the Peshawar game no differently from any other game I've played over the last 20 years. I was happy with the way I kept wicket in the first innings, and obviously very pleased to get 59 when I batted, not only for the runs but for the way I played, against useful spin and seam bowling. I'll certainly be going into the First Test in a very positive frame of mind.

As to the latest umpiring "controversy" in Peshawar, there was a very confident shout for caught behind. Andrew Caddick was the bowler. A couple of words were exchanged between the bowler and the batsman. The umpire had a word with Nasser Hussain to calm things down, and basically that was it. It was no different to what you'd see on every other day of a cricket match - but as you can imagine the tabloid journalists went straight for the umpire and match referee and all those type of things - it was a storm in a teacup.

The umpire is there to give his decision. Sometimes it's frustrating, but you have to accept it. Cricket's a tough game - I'd be lying if I said the batsman and bowler are very friendly the whole time - it's very competitive out in the middle and as long as it doesn't go over the edge there are no problems.

Away from the cricket, we had the opportunity to go to the Khyber Pass. It was nice to get away - I'd say 80% of the squad went on the trip. It was very rugged, and fascinating trying to picture how the tunnels were created and the roads were laid - all by hand - so many years ago. I'm very pleased I made the trip.