Hussain hopes to handle the heat and noise
Staff and Agencies - 23 October 2000

Moin Khan with Hussain Photo © AFP Aamir Qureshi

England captain Nasser Hussain has called for his team to show 'bottle' as they prepare to take on Pakistan in the one-day series.

35,000 spectators are expected for Tuesday's game, and if the noise made by the 1,000 or so watching England beat Pakistan 'A' is anything to go by, the atmosphere could be intimidating for the tourists.

"There were only a few in last night and they were making a hell of a racket so tomorrow night there is going to be one hell of a noise, but you do feel uncomfortable - there is no other way of putting it," explained Hussain.

"When you're sitting in your air-conditioned hotel room you feel fine but when you're out there in the middle and fielding on the boundary, there is a completely different atmosphere and our boys are going to have to have some bottle about them," he admitted.

Hussain believes the game will illustrate which members of his team have the character to succeed in high-pressure situations.

"I can't see Darren Gough worrying about it too much and I'm sure he'll rise to the occasion," said Hussain. "It's something they will have to look at within themselves."

"Where would they rather be, in front of 20 people at Derby or here? This is what we play for."

"There is nothing better than this, this is the highest level, the highest crowd, the highest pressure, the highest heat against one of the best sides and they should be saying `this is where I want to test myself'."

"They can go that way or go the other and think they'd rather be back in their hotel rooms, but that's for each individual to make up their minds about and we'll soon find out in these three one-dayers."

"You won't be able to hear yourself think and it will be a great atmosphere. This will be like a World Cup semi or quarter-final with not many cheering for us."

"When there's that sort of atmosphere it is difficult. You can focus quite easily in a quiet room, but when all the rattle is going on, that's the time to show focus and discipline."

England named their 12 for tomorrow, with Alleyne likely to be the man to miss out. Hussain is keen to continue his side's recent improvement in form, and to start to move up the world rankings.

"Our record's pretty good but we have played against sides we should beat. When we play against a side when they're favourites, we let ourselves down," he conceded, referring to the defeat at the hands of South Africa in the recent ICC KnockOut.

"We are sixth in the ratings and that's where we deserve to be. When we play anyone below us I think we'll beat them, but as yet we've not shown any consistency against the sides above us, of which this is one."

Meanwhile Tour Manager, Phil Neale, has stressed there is no need to panic after a bomb exploded near to the National Stadium while England were playing on Sunday. Three people were killed in the blast, but Neale has rejected any idea that the England team were the intended victims.

"There is no evidence to suggest we are in any immediate danger," said Neale.

"I read about the bomb in the papers, and we are in constant touch with the High Commission and will listen to their advice on such matters."

"It is likely there will be similar incidents in Sri Lanka when we tour there, but there is no indication to believe any of them are linked with our visit here."

England (from): ME Trescothick (Somerset), AJ Stewart (Surrey, wkt), N Hussain (Essex, capt), GA Hick (Worcestershire), GP Thorpe (Surrey), A Flintoff (Lancashire), C White (Yorkshire), MA Ealham (Kent), AF Giles (Warwickshire), AR Caddick (Somerset), D Gough (Yorkshire), MW Alleyne (Gloucestershire).

Pakistan (from): Saeed Anwar, Salim Elahi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan (capt & wkt), Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Waqar Younis.

Umpires: Riazuddin & Saleem Badar

Third Umpire: Feroz Butt.

Match referee: BN Jarman (Aus).

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