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NORTHAMPTON - For New Zealand opener Jamie How, playing two cricket tests with a chipped bone in his finger was nothing compared with the agony of what he rated his worst defeat.
How revealed he played the first two tests against England at Lord's and Old Trafford with the injury to his left ring finger, and intends to endure more painkillers to play in next week's third test in Nottingham.
After a free day in Manchester to mull over their six-wicket defeat, the team moved to Northampton today for a tour match as focus shifts to squaring the series in Nottingham next week.
How said the loss at Old Trafford, after leading by 179 runs on the first innings, was the toughest moment of his 11-test career.
"It was gutting for all the New Zealand supporters, none more so than us because it hurt like no other game has," he said.
"It's our job to turn that around and use that as motivation or inspiration for this next game.
"We've still got a chance of levelling the series then the pain we felt in the last test is certainly going to do that."
Just taking the field on his first tour of England was a triumph for How after he thought his series was over the day before the Lord's test and five days before his 27th birthday.
He and Jacob Oram were duelling at slips catching practice when How took a hit on the end of his finger and feared the worst.
"You wait all your life to play at Lord's, so to almost break your finger the day before the test is not ideal but it wasn't going to stop me playing there.
"It takes a while to warm up and it's pretty sore when I first chuck on the glove. Any time you mistime a ball the vibrations go through the bat and it gets a little sore, but when the bowler's running in at you that's the last thing on your mind."
It was diagnosed as a chipped bone which will take time to heal.
How has got by with a protective plastic cast in his finger and painkilling pills but has avoided any injections and also has to settle for the outfield over his favoured gully spot.
"It's one of those things. A lot of guys play with a bit of pain and it's no biggie, it's just a finger and it's not going to stop me from playing test cricket."
So far How has led the way for a new-look top-order alongside new opening partner Aaron Redmond and James Marshall at first drop.
Having gone through his first six tests with an average of 14.56, in his past five tests against England How scored 369 runs at 36.9 including innings of seven, 68, 64 and 29 in the current series.
He will miss the three-dayer against Northamptonshire starting on Friday here to give his injury more time to heal, before chasing an elusive test century at Trent Bridge next week.
"It's going okay, it would be nice to kick on to a bigger score and you're never happy as a batter and you always want more. Hopefully that big score is just around the corner.
"It is frustrating, but for me at the top of the order I'd rather get a 60 and blunt that attack and set up a guy like Ross (Taylor) and the middle order.
"If we get close to 400 I consider it a good job well done."
Coach John Bracewell said How would be joined on the sidelines at Northampton by captain Daniel Vettori, Oram, Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien.
Vettori will play as a batsman only if Daniel Flynn fails a fitness test tomorrow in the aftermath of his nasty head knock from a James Anderson bouncer.
- NZPA
