We go into the last three games against India with the series under our belt thanks to yet another extremely disciplined bowling effort. Once again at Queenstown we used the bounce well on a wicket that was pretty good. At present we are playing on momentum and the winning habit is so addictive that the boys don't want it to break just yet.

The performance of Andre Adams, who was making a comeback, proved that when you have bench strength every player tries to make the most of the chances that come by. We now have the luxury of quite a few all- rounders in the side, a situation that will only get better once Chris Cairns returns to the side.

The only worry is that our batting has not been firing and this is why we plan to take first strike if we win the toss in any of the next three games. Since we have already won the series, we should take the opportunity to get practice in various aspects of the game, including setting a target.

This series has been undoubtedly tough for batsmen, and the only way to get runs has been by grafting. I took the opportunity to spend some time in the middle in the fourth ODI and it was quite a relief to be among the runs once again. I want to ensure that all the top order batsmen get a similar amount of time in the middle, and given a chance I'd definitely bat first. The Indians have set such low totals in three of the four games that we were actually let off the hook in spite of some pretty ordinary batting.

We have been experimenting with various batting orders and bowling combinations over the last 18 months, so I feel we are done with that stage of our preparation. From now on, the correct thing to do would be to rotate the bowlers and give them ample practice in the middle. Shane Bond was cleared by the physio and has played two domestic games last week, so he will be playing the next three games. We might consider giving (Daryl) Tuffey a break, but he seems to be enjoying bowling at the Indians so much, that it will take some convincing!

In fact, we have really played superb cricket to completely put India out of the competition. I still feel that the Indian batting line-up is capable of firing, but time is certainly running out. I hear that Sachin Tendulkar will be making a comeback in the game at Wellington, so maybe that will boost the visitors' confidence. Losing six games in a row can really dent one's self-belief and a lot rests on Tendulkar's shoulders from here on. Our job is to ensure that the Indians stay on the mat and the Black Caps are focusing on not getting complacent. We want to keep the winning habit going but this time I would like the batsmen rather than the bowlers to set up the win.

Other Articles by Stephen Fleming:

• We would like to end the series on a winning note (13 January 2003)
• New Zealand plan to take first strike (07 January 2003)
• Hoping for a bright start to the New Year (31 December 2002)
• India will bounce back in the ODI series (24 December 2002)
• A green wicket awaits at Hamilton (17 December 2002)
• India will find New Zealand a tough challenge (11 December 2002)

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