Nasser Hussain has so far kept his counsel well in a testing couple of weeks for the England team, but criticism from Mike Gatting, the last England captain to win an Ashes series, has tipped him over the edge. Gatting, who led England to a 2-1 victory in the 1986-87 campaign, condemned Hussain for leaving for Australia two weeks before the rest of his team, to travel to Perth with his heavily pregnant wife.

"Nasser hasn't helped the cause by spending time away with his family," said Gatting in an interview with the Daily Express in London. "Pregnant wife or not, I just couldn't believe he had left for Australia two weeks ahead of the rest of the party. It is simply unheard of for a team to travel without the skipper on board."

Hussain responded angrily at a press conference at the WACA ground in Perth. "If that's what an ex-England captain thinks is the difference between the sides, then so be it," said Hussain. "If he believes we are losing 0-2 because I came out two weeks early, then that's his opinion.

"If that is why we have been losing to Australia for the last 12 or 16 years, because I came out two weeks early, then English cricket has got some real things to think about."

Hussain was also irritated by the suggestion that Australia hold a psychological advantage over England. "I don't wish to be rude," he said, "but if I am going to do press conferences I don't wish to repeat myself. I answered this question after the second Test, and unless some miracle has happened in the past two days, the answer is exactly the same. Australia do not have a psychological hold on us.

"What they do have," he continued, "are people who do their disciplines and play the game of cricket at the moment better than us - simple as that. At the moment, they are playing the game, putting the ball in the right areas, being much more positive about their batting and playing the game better.

"It is not a psychological thing - it is just a technical and ability thing. The sooner we watch them, watch how they practise, watch how they play the game, watch their disciplines when they bowl and when they bat, the sooner we will get better. That's instead of talking about this big blase thing about mental attitude and stuff like that.

Hussain also dismissed suggestions he was under pressure after the poor start to the tour. "I have lost two Test matches on the bounce, and that is just the way it is at the moment. We can improve. I know that we are not playing the best cricket and, as captain, the buck stops with me. But, as long as I am giving it my best shot and doing what I believe is right for the team, then I don't feel the pressure. I am only answerable to myself and my team."

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