Nasser Hussain ready for fresh challenge

Andrew Preston in London

"This is a learning process for us," said captain Nasser Hussain on Thursday, as his England team flew off on their winter tour of Kenya and Pakistan.

"England haven't been to Pakistan for 13 years and we are going there with a completely open mind, and are looking forward to being there and experiencing a part of the world where cricket is such a huge part of the culture. We want to learn more about the game and the more different conditions you play in, the better you become. We want to learn and become better cricketers," said Nasser.

There were smiles amongst the England team (a rare sight in recent years) as they prepared to head off for the first phase of their winter tour, which takes in the ICC Knockout Trophy in Nairobi and then one-day internationals and Tests in Pakistan, after which they return home before leaving again for Sri Lanka.

There has been consistency in England's selection process this year and there is now clearly a new sense of camaraderie and quiet confidence among the team. They go into this tour after success in this summer's triangular tournament against Zimbabwe and the West Indies and a Test series win against the West Indies.

But Hussain is far from complacent. "Swing and seam bowling have dominated our games against Zimbabwe and the West Indies, and even on our tour of South Africa we didn't come across any big turning wickets. But this winter will be completely different.

"Pakistan are one of the two or three best Test nations in the world and they will be playing at home. They will start as favourites and we have to go out there and compete with them. For us to play there is like an American golfer going to St Andrew's in Scotland for the first time. It will be very different. We mustn't moan about the conditions, we must just get on with it.

"I agree with what Wasim Akram has said, that we did well to beat the West Indies but now we have a fresh challenge.

"One of the best tours I have ever had was with the England 'A' side to Pakistan. We were successful on the pitch and they treated us very, very well.

"Now we want to enjoy all three countries we are visiting and play as hard as we can. We want to continue the good work we did in the summer. We have a team who want to win and try hard for each other. We want to get the most out of the tour and be proactive and not reactive. The whole process of learning will be hugely beneficial for us as we prepare for the Ashes series back home next year."

But before the Pakistan games comes the ICC one-day knockout trophy in Nairobi.

"We're taking it very seriously," says Hussain. "In three days' time we will be playing a friendly against Australia. We don't have too many friendlies against them, what with Glenn McGrath anmd Brett Lee running in at you."

Again he talked of the competition as being a useful exercise for the England team: "We only have a couple of players who have played over 100 one-day internationals, we are still very inexperienced on the one-day front. This is a great opportunity to build on that experience."

Asked about the injuries to Alan Mullaly and Kick Knight, which have led to them being replaced in the squad by Yorkshire fast bowler Matthew Hoggard and Indian-born Worcestershire batsman Vikram Solanki, he said: "That was a big blow. They are two proven one-day cricketers and we will miss them, especially off the field. But it has provided an opportunity for other people now."

Hussain and head coach Duncan Fletcher have formed a strong and successful partnership over the last year, but Hussain's own batting has been a huge disappointment. He had an average of just 11 in first-class cricket for the season. He said he had had three weeks off playing golf and had had no nets to try and improve his poor performance with the bat.

"I feel no extra pressure," he insisted.

Coach Duncan Fletcher, a man of few words, agreed that England have a big task ahead of them: "We are now more confident in our abilities, but Pakistan have a very, very good side. We don't know how to play in those conditions and we're going to have to learn very, very quickly."

He also praised Pakistan's pitches: "They have very, very good wickets. A South African friend has told me they are probably the best wickets you'll play cricket on."

England's first game in the ICC tournament is against Bangladesh on Thursday, October 5th.

Mail Cricket Editor