Graham Thorpe Photo Photosport

England's crucial middle-order batsman Graham Thorpe is enjoying being much more relaxed about his cricket in New Zealand than when pre-occupied with his private life on the earlier tour of India.

Thorpe flew home during the Test series in India but he returned there for the one-day series and in New Zealand was able to play probably the most crucial innings for his side when scoring 52 off 53 balls during the last 10 overs of England's innings at Napier as they gained a foothold in the National Bank Series.

"There were times in India when I wasn't overly focused on the cricket but here life goes on.

"What happens in people's lives happens and you have to move on and carry on enjoying your sport.

"I am a lot more relaxed than I was in India so from that perspective that's good for me and good for the team."

He is the most experienced of the side's one-day batsmen having now played 77 ODIs for 2267 runs, and in appearances is just ahead of Nick Knight who has played 74 matches. They share a strike rate of around 70 but Knight's opening position has seen him score 2811 runs with four centuries while Thorpe has 2267 runs and a highest score of 89.

He is one of England's go-to men in crises and will have a big role to play in their World Cup planning. His innings in Napier was a classic example of his worth to the side.

"It was pleasing the other day to play quite fluently, moreso to be just able to get a base score for the team. We constructed our innings better the other night. We didn't lose too many wickets at the wrong stage of the innings and that was important to identify."

But it is team consistency that England are most seeking.

"Our confidence is good and we just hope to maintain that. If we relax and think we've really achieved something then we'll get beaten again tomorrow," Thorpe said.

"If we believe we are getting the ball rolling, and we stay focused, and play well again, it will be a good challenge for New Zealand."

Thorpe has no qualms about batting at No 4 in the side, nor does he mind the increasing diet of one-day cricket.

The demands of one-day cricket were more physical than Test cricket while Test match demands were more mental.

"But which do I prefer? I just enjoy playing cricket," he said.

"I'm just focusing on the cricket itself and trying to perform well for the team really."

Part of the improvement England is seeking is a much faster transition in adapting to the varying conditions they strike in different countries.

That has been one of the downfalls of the side. They were slow to adapt in India, then slow to change here in New Zealand.

"We have adjusted a bit too slowly, we've made it very difficult for ourselves in this series but it is still there to play for, it is still up for grabs.

"One more performance tomorrow will really set it up nicely, it would be great for the series to make it go to the final game."

Win or lose, adapting to the Test series would be no problem for England. The results of the one-day cricket would not affect the Test side.

"We're keen to get our level of performance up to a good consistent level in one-day cricket and we haven't quite improved that. Our performances are still up and down in one-day cricket.

"So long as we fight hard again tomorrow night and try to get a good level of consistency, it should be a good match," he said.

© CricInfo