Headingley Test, Day 4
Sunday, August 25, 2002 Well, we're just about hanging in there – although I'm afraid we're still up against it. At least we showed a bit of character and fight this evening, which is what people want to see, but there's a lot of work yet to do. They're still favourites by a long way.

I enjoy batting on wickets that do a bit – it relaxes me, to be honest. I like gutsing it out for the boys, and getting involved in a bit of a battle. Today was not the easiest – there were a lot of balls to hit and a lot that were flying around as well, so you just had to block those ones out of your mind.

But I don't think I had to ride my luck – I thought it was a chanceless innings, to be honest. I got hit on the glove and the chest a few times, but other than that it was fine. Zaheer caused me one or two problems with his change of angle from around the wicket, and it took me a little while to put this in the memory banks and work out what to do. But I had a chat with Stewie, and asked him what he would do to combat it, and really it was just a case of redoing the old computer.

This wicket is still doing plenty, believe me, especially the new ball which is going to be the key tomorrow morning. The first delivery reared at the gloves, although it was easier facing it tonight, when we were in and had batted for four or five hours. Tomorrow will be much more difficult – the body will be tired, and we'll have to start all over and rebuild our concentration, on a cracked fifth day Headingley wicket. It won't be easy.

The Indian spinners bowled well, especially Harbhajan who got a lot of turn, but we just had to forget about the men around the bat and nudge and nurdle the ones and twos, with the odd big shot thrown in. It was a case of mixing attack and defence. Time is of paramount importance to us, but the longer we bat, the easier it gets and the more runs we can score – one produces the other.

It's easy to be wise after the event and criticise some of the shot selection earlier on, but it's hard to ask these boys not to play positive cricket. I can't just expect them to go into their shells. No shots equals no runs – it's as simple as that. As a team, we are 230-odd for 4, which is a pretty good effort on a wearing pitch.

We've played poorly for three days, and when you do that against a team like India they are going to make you pay. But they're under a bit of pressure as well – they have to win this series as they've got a record they have to break, so our job tomorrow will be to get under their skin for as long as possible.

Occasions like Headingley '81 happen once in a lifetime, so I don't think we'll be thinking too hard about that. First of all we need to fight for at least five hours to give ourselves a chance of saving the game.

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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