Auckland Test, Day 3
Monday, April 1, 2002

It looks as if we could really have a game on our hands here. Even though we've lost an awful lot of time, we can make some of that up over the next two days – the weather forecast is OK – and there could be as many as 210 overs left to play. That's an awful lot of cricket, especially on this pitch.

The wicket has really been spiced up. What's happened is that on the first day the ball made grooves in the pitch when it landed, and over the last couple of days those grooves have firmed up into little ridges. And that has meant that the ball has been moving about an extraordinary amount – it's like facing fast legbreaks and offbreaks really.

In the last nine or ten overs of today's play eight wickets went down, so you can tell that something unusual must be happening. Being 0 for 2 is getting to be a bit of a habit – when he passed me as he came off Mark Butcher apologised for getting me in in the first over again.

We are using Kookaburra balls in this series and all through they have been doing a hell of a lot early on when they're new. Fortunately – or unfortunately, depending on whether you're bowling or not – once they are softer and less shiny it is much easier to bat. This usually takes about 30 overs, although here, with this lush green rugby outfield, it could be another ten overs on top of that.

What we have to do now is get through the first hour or so tomorrow, when the ball will still be new and the pitch will probably be at its worst. With a bit of luck someone will settle in to play a major innings – because the side which has a batsman who can put his hand up and play that big innings will probably win the match.

I was happy with the way we bowled today. Despite the long delays everybody was really focused and up for it when we did start, and we bowled very well. In fact we bowled well throughout their innings apart from that couple of hours on the first day – and that could prove to be costly if we're not careful.

There really is a lot of cricket left in this match.

Nasser Hussain was talking to Steven Lynch. His thoughts will appear on Wisden.com, other duties permitting, at the end of each day of the Test series.

More Nasser Hussain
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