Cricket: Portable strips need hard look - Hussain

By RICHARD BOOCK

The issue of New Zealand's portable pitches was a hot topic of conversation again yesterday as Nasser Hussain tried to come to terms with England's third-test defeat.

The tourists depart for home today after being forced to share the series with New Zealand, who made the most of the sporting Eden Park drop-in pitch.

Having triumphed on a similarly fiery portable pitch at Christchurch, England were unable to cope with some extreme bounce at Eden Park and were bowled out for 160 and 233.

Not only did most of the England batsmen have to deal with steeply climbing deliveries in the first innings, but things were no better in the second as Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher and Hussain found out to their cost.

Having found that the early-model portable pitches were drying out too quickly and crumbling later in the test, curators this summer tried to leave more moisture in the blocks, creating interesting challenges for the batsmen.

Hussain was particularly anxious to avoid the "whingeing Pom" label, but said it was important that the drop-in pitch technology be improved in order to provide a suitable stage for all varieties of cricketers.

"There's been some fascinating cricket played and it's been good for the spectators but obviously the pitches have to start dry."

Hussain said he accepted the need for portable pitches in New Zealand as the main arenas were all multi-purpose.

"The drop-in wickets have produced some very exciting cricket and I think they should be persevered with. But you've got to have a look at the issue and look at it again, so you don't end up doing something like making spin bowling redundant."