Cricket: Jeering just the motivation as Hussain heads into series

By RICHARD BOOCK

Nasser Hussain does not have to look back far to find extra motivation for this week's first test against New Zealand.

Regarded as one of the best captains in world cricket, Hussain will begin preparations for the Christchurch opener with the 1999 series loss against New Zealand still relatively fresh in his memory.

Hussain and his team were rated the worst side in the world after losing the fourth test to Stephen Fleming's New Zealanders, and to add insult to injury were booed from the Oval.

Nearly three years have passed and Hussain's stocks have risen sharply, although he may still have some concerns after England completed their preparations for the new series - starting on Wednesday - with an uninspiring draw against Canterbury.

Having declared on Saturday morning at 432 for nine, the tourists could take only two wickets from 73 overs as Canterbury meandered through to 175 at the close - including half-centuries from Robbie Frew and Shannan Stewart.

It was a mixed performance from England - encouraging batting form but a lack of penetration from the bowlers.

Andy Caddick was again the pick of the bowlers. Matthew Hoggard was unable to make the ball swing, Craig White looked innocuous, Andy Flintoff was used sparingly and spinner Ashley Giles gained little assistance on the slow wicket.

But if Hussain was unduly worried about the bowling he did not show it afterwards, suggesting little should be read into the performance and expressing confidence his side would lift for the test.

"The bowling is not a concern because I need people to peak during the test, not today," Hussain said.

As for his most recent test memory against New Zealand, Hussain regards the 1999 series loss as the low point of his captaincy and prefers to remember the crowd reaction in terms of the entire season - rather than just the New Zealand series.

"When people boo, it's only because they are so passionate about wanting England to do well. And let's face it, 1999 was awful.

"You want people to think you're doing a good job and appreciate what you're doing, but I don't think the punters were just booing me on that balcony at the Oval.

"They were booing the whole English summer. We'd gone through the shemozzle of the World Cup and then lost at home to New Zealand after going 1-0 up.

"We should have won that series, and it was only one of Chris Cairns' better innings that took it away from us."

Hussain became only the second England captain to lose a home series against New Zealand after Cairns turned on a great all-round display, pulling his side out of a near-terminal batting collapse after taking a five-wicket bag in the first innings.

"I've always tried to be honest. If we have an absolute shambles day at the office, like our one-day performance in Wellington the other week, I'll tell everyone," Hussain said.

"I'll say that we were crap today or that we didn't turn up today. But if you think your team have fought hard, and lost, I've got no problems with that.

"That Sunday at the Oval three years ago isn't one of my favourite memories as captain. I still don't think we deserved to be booed for the way we played that particular game, but overall we deserved what we got that summer."

* New Zealand wicketkeeper Adam Parore got the workout he was looking for at the weekend.

On Saturday, the opening day of his club Parnell's premier championship match against Howick Pakuranga, he donned his gloves for the first time since returning from Australia and was in brilliant form.

On the second day yesterday he hit 29, including five fours and a six, before being trapped leg-before.

Parore's appearance for Parnell was his first for the famous old club for which his younger brother, Leon, plays.

The brothers put on 45 for the second wicket. The match was drawn.