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Crunch time Hussain: South Africa is England's acid test
Posted: Thursday May 20, 1999 08:07 PM
LONDON (Press Association) -- Nasser Hussain reveled in the growing confidence in England's dressing room today but underlined that Saturday's crunch match with tournament favorites South Africa would be the real test of its World Cup credentials. England has slowly but surely gained momentum with emphatic victories over defending champions Sri Lanka and outsiders Kenya in the last week but has always known that Saturday marks its real date of destiny. It is that showdown at The Oval which has kept England focused during its relatively easy wins, knowing a lapse in concentration or performance would be translated as a weakness to be exploited by the battle-hardened South Africans. But as England began its preparations at the Oval today, Hussain stressed that they had achieved little yet and their toughest tests were still to come.
"We've been very professional and done well for two games with the top three batters looking really good," he said. "There is nothing better than winning and winning like we have done because it breeds confidence. "If we were losing games people would ask how we would beat South Africa, but we've played well in five games in a row now going into the probably the most difficult game for us. "It's up to us now to test ourselves against probably the best side out here and see how far we have come in this competition. We've done all we can do, but we've done nothing really." As Sri Lanka has now lost two matches, it is quite possible that they may not qualify for the Super Sixes - meaning points gained in the next three games will be vital in the next stage as they will be carried forward. Hussain explained: "Every game now is vitally important because we might be meeting these sides in the semifinal and final so we have to make sure we can get a psychological advantage. "They are all strong sides now - there are no easy games left. Our preparation has gone how we would have liked to has gone, but we are not naive and we realize these games are the ones that count. "We can take points into the Super Sixes, South Africa are a top one-day side and what happens on Saturday will be a real test of how good we are in this competition." The Essex batsman, brought into the squad at late notice having replaced the injured Michael Atherton, had thought he would be nothing more than a reserve for established openers Nick Knight and Alec Stewart. But Knight's loss of form prompted the selectors to bring Hussain in as Stewart's opening partner and he responded with a superb unbeaten 88, just five short of his best ever one-day international score for England, to help seal its victory over Kenya with 11 overs remaining. "I just presumed I would be there as a stand-by for Stewie or Knighty if something didn't work out, but I've enjoyed going in as early as possible," he added. "This winter I was in early most of the time because Glenn McGrath was bowling so well, so batting number three you are virtually an opener anyway. "It's handy I get in as early as possible in one-day cricket because of the strength of our team with people like Thorpe, Flintoff and Fairbrother in the middle order - that's where they should be batting because there's no point me going down there when you have strikers like that around." Press Association - the Source for UK News and Information
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