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It was never, with England's capacity for self-destruction, going to be anything other than a nerve-racking day. And the first World Cup match to go into a second day in this tournament just prolongs the agony.

Nasser Hussain classed England's crunch clash against India at Edgbaston yesterday, in which he scored 33 before being bowled, as a quarter-final. No such stage exists in World Cup '99, but the Essex captain is certainly treating it with such a degree of importance.

Hussain, preferred to Warwickshire's run-starved Nick Knight as Alec Stewart's opening partner throughout the competition, said: ``If you win this one, you take two points into the Super Six stage. Then you may only need one more win to reach the semi-finals.

``There have been special games in the World Cup, but this is the biggest as far as atmosphere and importance are concerned. India are a very good side, with a lot of support. It's certainly turning out that way.

``South Africa and India are the two best opponents in the group. We lost to South Africa, so we have got the chance to redeem ourselves against players of the quality of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.''

Hussain scored his maiden Test century at Edgbaston - against India in 1996, six years after his debut. And a double century off Australia the following season was the dream innings of his career so far. Originally omitted from the World Cup squad but selected after Mike Atherton was forced out, Atherton has passed the half-century mark twice.

``I'm enjoying it,'' he added. ``I like this sort of cricket, you've got a role to play, to try and bat through the innings to get a hundred. You have a game plan and you are determining the course of the match.''

Hussain's razor-sharp fielding, too, has been crucial, and his run-out of Zimbabwe's Andy Flower at Trent Bridge was of the same class as South Africa's livewire, Jonty Rhodes.