Hussain needs unit prepared to run through brick walls (23 August 1999)

23 August 1999

Hussain needs unit prepared to run through brick walls

David Lloyd

My reception from the England camp was a little frosty at the Oval after my criticisms last week, although, in my book, all I have done is give things a 'bit of a stir', rather like the Stanley Holloway monologue, Albert and the Lion. You know the part where:

Wallace didn't like it; neither did the team, but what a transformation we saw on Thursday with Nasser Hussain back at the helm. I thought his, and the team's, display was terrific, with Hussain to the fore, getting the best out of everyone. The first hour on Friday was back in the old routine, while Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori prospered. You could tell that Hussain was fuming as he rang the changes with the bowlers. The message from him was 'not good enough, I'll try someone else'. Phil Tufnell did the trick as he once again shifted Vettori, but there was a feel of 'here we go again'.

There is a lot of talk of England unable to finish off tailenders. Minus Darren Gough, we do not have a bowler who can blast the tail away. Andy Caddick, Alan Mullally and Ed Giddins operate at around 78-83mph. The big shots like Donald, Shoaib, McGrath and Gough clock in at 88-92 mph and that is a big difference. Add to this the quality of New Zealand's lower order and a touch of tiredness, it can be more difficult than it seems.

Batting has not been straightforward on this pitch and only Chris Cairns has batted with any authority and he has done that by attacking strokeplay, particularly against Tufnell. He has been prepared to come down the wicket to get to the pitch. Our batsmen have been loath to do this but must be encouraged because spinners do not like being dictated to on length. In the first innings we gave Vettori far too much respect and allowed him to bowl. I am not advocating a 'cavalry charge' as I have mentioned before, but just as he keeps an arm-ball up his sleeve, the batsman can convey the message that he is confident to attack with nimble footwork. Confidence is a key word in batsmanship and there seems a lack of it within the team. They will all be aware of the statistics that are bandied about, particularly with regard to first-innings totals. Privately, too, the top order know that the bottom order cannot bat at all which gives rise to tentative, inhibited play. Mark Ramprakash is left time and again with the rabbits and it leaves him in no-man's land. He is an excellent strokeplayer and Hussain and Duncan Fletcher will, I am sure, work hard at encouraging the batsmen to play in a more attacking vein. There is a subtle difference between looking to attack every ball and then defending it if it is good, than looking to defend every ball and attacking it if it is bad. How do you think Gower, Botham and both Richards used to approach it? Enough said.

This Oval pitch has intrigued me. Even grass with good pace and bounce. The Duke ball has gripped the surface and there has been spin from the pitch itself. This is the pitch we should have played Sri Lanka on last year instead of the 'Gobi Desert dust bowl' that was served up.

The game moved at a fair pace and Channel 4 could be forgiven for changing their advertisement to 'Cricket Just Got Shorter'. England seem at their most dangerous when they know exactly what is required and it is usually with a task at hand, and a tough task at that. At the end of the third day it was inevitable that Mike Atherton would still be there. He rises time and time again and revels in this sort of situation. He attracted the attention of the match referee after his first-innings dismissal when it was reported in some quarters that he hit out at the stumps with his fist. Dislodged a bail with his index finger was the reality, but it showed that his passion and desire still burn.

Graham Thorpe's non-availability for the winter will reduce the clamour for change, particularly with the established batsmen. The Oval Test match is traditionally known as the 'Graveyard game'. Players who come into this game as 'one-offs' naturally have an eye on the winter. Giddins can take one of the pace bowling places, although his lack of genuine pace has been surprising. I think he has more to offer in this department and definitely suffers from overload at county level. Having selected Darren Maddy for this game, I really hope the selectors show faith. I am not saying the selection is right, but once selected, do give players like him a run.

Ronnie Irani is slightly different. If Gavin Hamilton had been fit, he would have played, and so in effect Irani is a stand-in. He did not get a start in the first innings and his bowling looks short of Test standard. His speed is around 74-77 mph and at that pace you have to be accurate. We have a bowler who is a bit above that speed and is deadly accurate - his name is Angus Fraser.

Every player will tune in to Ceefax on Wednesday morning. There are a few certainties but Hussain's blank sheet of paper may, at last, come into play. He is good; damn good, and will need a unit that will run through brick walls for him. South Africa wait for us. They are smarting from their defeat in England and they are a rough, tough outfit. We need to get our retaliation in first.

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