Confidence swings New Zealand's way (8 August 1999)

8 August 1999

Confidence swings New Zealand's way

Angus Fraser

After watching yesterday's play at Old Trafford, the most striking thing is the difference in confidence of the two sides. Confidence takes weeks to build, but only seconds to destroy and England had it along with the initiative after Edgbaston.

Since then, however, New Zealand have wrestled it back and currently look like a side that really fancies itself. There was an energy about their cricket yesterday I did not see in England's.

Whether it was in their willingness to hit the spinners over the top, put the bad balls - of which there were far too many - away or just looking for the quick single, their confidence seems to be allowing them to play with a freedom you don't see at the moment in England's cricketers.

For large parts of the day England looked like a side waiting for something to happen rather than one looking to make it happen. Their body language was of a nature that would have the veins sticking out on the neck of the previous coach, David Lloyd.

The only England player to have shown any real freedom so far this week has been Mark Ramprakash. It may well have been the state of the game and the fact he had to be positive batting with the tail but at last we once again saw the player I have witnessed scoring stacks of runs in the last few years.

Knowing what he had to do, all of a sudden you saw a purpose about his cricket that had been missing. The hesitant and slightly nervous footwork was replaced by one positive movement either forward or back and dispatchment of anything loose.

I don't really want to say it, as people will say I have a vested interest, but I have to admit I was disappointed with the way England bowled yesterday.

Batting for the New Zealand team looked a far more comfortable affair as they amassed what looks like being a match-winning total.

As England's bowlers became more and more frustrated with the lack of inconsistent bounce that seemed apparent on day one, though they strayed themselves giving the New Zealand batsmen plenty of opportunities to pick off the easy runs.

In this game, as in the last Test at Lord's, there has been far more discipline for New Zealand's bowling than England's on pitches that have been far from devoid of help. Chris Cairns and Dion Nash have been outstanding, bowling on one side of the wicket and with plenty of variety.

Over the years I have played on several pitches that seem to have changed character over that 10-minute period between innings, although normally it is because a Mr Donald, Ambrose or McGrath has replaced the likes of myself bowling on it! During the next two days we will find out if this is another or not.

PS: Butch, if you're looking for a couple of blokes who have experience in saving Test matches with the bat at this ground feel free to give Crofty and me a ring.

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