Rattled Hussain resorts to mind games

India, by crushing England in the third Test, have left Nasser Hussain's side rattled to the core.

The skipper did not say it but his concern was there, hanging heavily between the lines.

Keen not to sift through the Headingley wreckage for long, Hussain threw things forward to the deciding Test at The Oval.

"India will be under pressure," he suggested optimistically after his side had been annihilated by an innings and 46 runs. "They will be desperate to win. They have to make history in that last game. I'm sure they'll have some butterflies."

As mind games go, this was pretty weak fare.

Sourav Ganguly, looking to lead India to their first series win outside the sub-continent since 1986, seemed almost amused by the butterfly threat.

"We're under pressure to win away and we are under pressure to win at home," he said with a smile. "Pressure is good."

Ganguly's India are also good. Almost perfect at the moment, in fact, according to Hussain.

The front-line batting, regarded by many as the most powerful in world cricket, had fired at last in saving the second test at Trent Bridge, the scorecard emphatically reading; "Rahul Dravid 115, Sachin Tendulkar 92, Saurav Ganguly 99".

HIGHEST TOTAL

Headingley was even more impressive -- "Rahul Dravid 148, Sachin Tendulkar 193, Saurav Ganguly 128" -- as India amassed 628 for eight, their highest total ever in enemy territory, on their way to levelling the series.

The bowlers, though, have been as instrumental in turning the team's fortunes around. Anil Kumble led the way with seven wickets in the third Test, his spinning sidekick Harbhajan Singh contributing four. The seamers also chipped in at key points, with fast bowler Zaheer Khan approaching 90 mph, while all-rounder Sanjay Bangar had a fine game with bat and ball.

After Lord's, Ganguly wore the frown. Now it is Hussain's turn to grapple with mounting problems.

There had been an upsurge in home confidence after the opening game, which England strolled by 170 runs.

Matthew Hoggard, standing in for the injured Darren Gough as the main man, was exemplary in taking seven wickets. Andrew Flintoff offered useful support and debutant Simon Jones was frighteningly quick on a wicket perfect for batting. Hoggard, supported by the towering Steve Harmison, was almost as good in the first innings at Trent Bridge.

OFF THE RADAR

Since then, though, the bowlers have sprayed off the radar, despite traditionally helpful English conditions so suited to swing. Even the Indian batsmen admitted they could not believe they had scored more than 600 at Headingley.

Hussain will spend the next 10 days huddled with his bowlers as they seek a solution.

"The ball was swinging around, we haven't got our length right," he lamented on Monday. "When they tried to go full they got floaty and bowled leg side."

Hoggard, with 11 wickets at just over 22 runs apiece in the first three innings of the series, has taken just two more at 105 each. Flintoff, meanwhile, has taken one for 95 and one for 68 before succumbing to a groin injury.

Perhaps, suggested England's captain, they had not managed to compensate after performing so well on flatter wickets on their most recent tours.

Or perhaps Ganguly and Co have now got his measure.

More worrying still for England, The Oval will be perfectly suited to India's world-class spinners. If they managed 11 between them in swinging conditions, what will they make of Surrey's high-bouncing home ground, where the wickets are tailored for their overseas player Saqlain Mushtaq?

Hussain was right in suggesting that England, having beaten Sri Lanka earlier in their summer with a string of major scores, were due a fall.

"Something like this was always going to happen," he said. "India are a fine, fine side. They were going to click at some stage and they clicked here.

"Whatever we do first up at The Oval will be the key. We have got to dent their confidence."

He is right. But it will take more than butterflies to achieve it.

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