Fletcher wants continuation of control in Auckland

Risk judgment and management was much better in England's One-Day International win over New Zealand in Napier on Wednesday and coach Duncan Fletcher is looking for more of the same on Saturday in Auckland.

However, he and the watching publics of the respective countries may have to wait as yet more rain is forecast for match day at Eden Park.

Wednesday's game had not been that much different to the start England made to the tour in the first match played in Christchurch, but on this occasion the England players did not make a mess of the excellent start they were given.

While the loss had been disappointing in Christchurch it had been another lesson in match situations and the players had clearly learnt from it when they found themselves in the same position in Napier.

And when the batting effort provides a competitive total, and is backed by good bowling at the start of the defence it could be very difficult for the opposition to escape.

"There is still a little bit of an improvement we can have when we bowl. We could do with a little more control," Fletcher said.

He had been very pleased with the way Darren Gough bowled. He had played to the conditions which suited his skidding type of deliveries.

The game had also been a vindication of the selection policies of consistency in backing players and allowing them to develop. Paul Collingwood's bowling reflected that.

Sometimes it took longer for some players, and on other occasions the window of opportunity arrived early for players.

"Surely a player like Chris Harris was a bits and pieces player when he started but he is a top quality one-day cricketer now because he has been given an opportunity," he said.

At the same time it was also important to handle players correctly and he felt that had been the case with Collingwood in Napier. It was a fine line between bowling well and possibly bowling too long and losing the game.

It was also difficult when you were trying to develop a player that he get the chance to work on a skill. There was so much big cricket being played now that the opportunity was not always there to put in the work on a particular skill.

Any team also needed to have all bases covered for the particular pitches they were going to strike in different countries.

Among those options coaches and captains like was having a player capable of floating in the batting order, such as New Zealand is trying to develop with Andre Adams.

Fletcher was reluctant to see potential top-class all-rounder Andrew Flintoff moved up the order to give the scoring a hurry-up but there were certain situations where he might be. But while he didn't favour that ploy that was not to say it wouldn't happen some time.

"It's not all black and white in cricket," he said.

One negative out of Wednesday's success was the batting achievements meant Owais Shah did not get the chance to show the selectors his wares in a competitive situation. With Michael Vaughan waiting in the wings for an opening, and Ben Hollioake looking for an opportunity there were some crucial selection considerations to be made before tomorrow's game in Auckland.