We are here to play hard game, says Hussain

England captain Nasser Hussain warned Pakistan ahead of the three-Test series saying that his team was not here on a peace mission but to win longer version of the matches.

At a crowded press conference, Hussain said his team needed to be aggressive and play hard cricket to avoid being rolled over by Pakistan. "Don't make out that we are here on a peace mission. We are just not here to be nice. We are here to play Test series and win matches. I want my players and team to play hard cricket because if we don't, we will be rolled over not only this summer and winter, but also next summer against Australia.

"On Wednesday morning, the Pakistan team will come straight at us. "I am not going to have enough out there. And just because we are in Pakistan, we are not going to take it lying down," Hussain said in an aggressive tone.

On last evening's incident, Hussain admitted that Caddick sledged Akhtar Sarfaraz but argued that it happens virtually everyday in international cricket "particularly when I am playing against Australia."

Hussain also accepted that the umpire came to him at the end of the over and said Caddick "said something about my (Sajjad Asghar's) country. I said sorry to him and asked him to carry on. I had a word with Andrew (Caddick) who said there has been a misunderstanding and he has not said anything about Pakistan or the umpire."

"I don't see it as a big issue as you boys see it. It (incident) is making headlines because we are here after 13 years. Probably if the same incident had happened anywhere in the world, it would not have attracted you guys."

He said there was nothing to complain about because his team was getting excellent practice facilities and sightseeing. "In the heat of the moment, he (Caddick) might have said something wrong. (And) if he has said, it is wrong."

Hussain said as a captain, the most important thing for him to see is that in what frame of mind Andrew Caddick was in. He said he bowled superbly in the last half an hour on Friday "and came this morning to take a wicket in his first over. "There will be words exchanged in the Test series because it is a hard game. I am sorry but this is the way this game is played. I don't expect (Wasim) Akram, (Waqar) Younis or whoever plays against us (in the first Test) will greet us by saying good morning Mr Hussain or welcome to Pakistan. I am not going to make a broad statement that my boys will not pass remarks to the Pakistan batters in this series."

Hussain said he supported the five-run penalty for sledging, provided the implementation of the rule was consistent. "As a captain, I support it (law) if it comes into play next summer (against Australia)."