NAPIER (Reuters)
England cricketer Ashley Giles's Norwegian wife rang her husband from the other side of the world to tell him she was going into labour -- and then apologised for interrupting a team dinner on the tour of New Zealand.

"My wife is brave and a real Viking - I'm very proud of her," he told reporters. "I'm sure there has been a lot of emotional strain on her but she has kept it hidden from me which has helped.

"When she went into labour she apologised for interrupting a team meal which shows the lengths she has gone to please me. It has been tough for me being the other side of the world but she has been very strong and allowed me to concentrate on my cricket."

Giles said he was ready to concentrate on his job again after his wife gave birth to a daughter, Mathilde, on Monday in Worcestershire. Neither the England Cricket Board nor Giles's county, Warwickshire, would give further details of the birth of his second child.

Giles has been out of form in the two opening one-day internationals but now his wife Stine and Mathilde are at home, he was adamant he could rediscover his form and help to propel England to their second comeback of the winter in the one-day series with New Zealand. They currently trail 2-0 in the five-match series.

"It is my job and now I can concentrate on my cricket and getting the tour back on track. When things have gone badly I have thought about what is going on at home but I didn't dwell on it because I didn't want to let anyone down," he said.

"Nasser understands that it has been a difficult time for me but I thought it was important. I stayed out on this tour because they stuck their heads out for me so I returned the favour.

"It's our second child and I'm very sad that I could not be there but it was a brilliant moment."

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