Headingley Test, Day 1
Thursday, August 22, 2002 We didn't quite get it right today. I thought that, in the conditions, Dravid's innings was one of the best I've seen, because there was plenty there for the bowlers all day. We didn't exactly bowl badly, but we didn't find the right areas and we didn't send down a lot of wicket-taking deliveries either.

Alex Tudor was unlucky – he was our best bowler all day and could easily have had two or three wickets. Andrew Caddick, though, was a bit below par – he never really settled onto a length and because there was so much bounce in the wicket the batsmen were able to leave him all the time.

You're never happy to lose the toss in a Test match, but at the same time, it was not actually a bad toss to lose. We knew the ball would do a little, but it's a brave man who wins the toss and bowls at Headingley, as the wicket is bound to deteriorate. Either way, I wasn't too fussed.

I don't agree that that wasn't a typical Indian batting performance. Everyone underestimates them, as they are actually a very fine side, with men for all occasions. There's Sehwag at the top of the order who'll give it a smack; there's Dravid who's technically brilliant – then there's Tendulkar ... They all average over 50 and that's why they keep proving people wrong. They are an exceptional batting side.

We had our chances today. The bottom line is we need to hit the stumps more when fielding – both in Tests and one-dayers. We had three chances today, and they all came to Michael Vaughan, though I don't blame him as such. We just need to keep practising – that's all we can do.

We found out during the game that Andrew Flintoff was okay, so that allowed us to play a more balanced attack. But I had to save him today – I can't keep bowling him into the ground. So I used him in short bursts – two early on, then one, towards the end of the day, when I needed him to be hostile. I just threw him the ball and told him to tear in and send down six of the quickest he could bowl.

The off-the-field business this week hasn't distracted us at all. I don't know about the Indians, but for us it has had little bearing on the way we go about things. We've just been awaiting a phone call from Tim May or Richard Bevan, our representatives, and we'll take it from there.

As for Graham Thorpe, the press have got it slightly wrong. We haven't "given him a week to decide" as such. Duncan spoke to him, and I've spoken to him as well, as we select our side for the Ashes next Wednesday or Thursday. It's just like last winter, when a few people decided not to tour. We need to know whether Graham is making himself available for selection, just like anyone else. There are England contracts up for grabs, after all, and some of them will last for the entire year.

Nasser Hussain was talking to Andrew Miller. His thoughts will appear on Wisden.com, other duties permitting, at the end of each day of England's international cricket this summer.

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