Johannesburg – Nasser Hussain, unlike Brian Lara a year ago, spoke confidently about the prospects of the England team’s chances on the current tour of South Africa.

For the first time in South African cricketing history the tourist will face up to composite provincial teams, made up of the top players from teams that are in close proximity. This will ensure that the tourists will always face opposition of a high standard during their three-month stay in South Africa.

Looking fresh after an 11-hour flight from London, Nasser faced up to the press at his first official press conference in South Africa at a Sandton hotel in Johannesburg.

Nasser feels that the best way to stay focused while on tour is to enjoy your cricket and enjoy the country. “The successful tours that I have been on have been to beautiful countries like this. You have to enjoy your hosts, play a bit of golf, but obviously the most important reason we are out here is to win the cricket. If the cricket goes well then the tour flies by. We will be throwing ourselves completely into the test series. It is a long tour but with a lot to do, and by the time we leave we should all still be focused,” he said.

Nasser also mentioned that even though the team has come under a lot of criticisms and are rated near the bottom of the test nations rung, the new younger players have not really been affected by it. They are looking forward and not backward and with the experience of Alec Stewart, Mike Atherton, Phil Tufnell, Darren Gough and himself will come out of the tour all better players, but a lot to prove.

“It is always nice to get away on a tour, and we enjoy our tours. Some people feel less pressure when away, but pressure is what you put on yourself. If, by the end of the tour, every player, including myself, has given 100% and more, batting, bowling and fielding then it does not matter if you have played at home or been away on tour,” he replied to a question about the pressures playing at home. “At the moment all the players are looking forward to the tour and very relaxed. The pressure will build up after the third test, but if we all stay as focused as we are now then all will be well,” he added.

“We are capable of beating any team in the world, and we have proved it. When we play well we can beat anybody. We have recently beaten South Africa, Australia and the West Indies. The trouble at the moment is the inconsistencies in our game and that is what we aim to iron out on this tour. I am a believer in statistic, and that says that we are at the bottom of world test cricket, but I think that no team will take us lightly. It is up to us to lift our game, like the consistency in the South African team, and lift our position in test cricket,” he said.

The England team has a practice at Centurion tomorrow morning before meeting a Nicky Openheimer XI at Randjesfontein on Monday.

© CI