No excuses after good lay off from one-day programme

Walking to our net practice yesterday afternoon from the Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln to the nets on Lincoln Green with Stephen Fleming, we got to talking about how much we are looking forward to getting back into the longer form of the game.

The ability to change from one-day cricket to Test cricket is part of the skill of the modern cricketer and it can often be used as an excuse when things go wrong in either form of the game.

But not in this case.

Both teams have had an excellent lay off. Some have used it as a chance to breathe life back into tired bodies, others have got out and had a hit for their provinces.

With the diet of one-day cricket we have just completed I have to say it was tough and I am looking forward to this Test series.

In the Tests there are chances to build pressure, for the better player to come out on top because the opportunity to rely on luck is decreased compared to the one-dayers.

If you look at both sides, both are missing their in form strike bowlers in Shane Bond and Darren Gough so that cancels each out.

We have the better spin bowler and the seamers are pretty evenly matched.

The batting is where I believe we will beat England.

Firstly we have six specialist batters followed by Nos 7 and 8 who have both scored test hundreds and No 9 who has a Test 90.

The tail is an important part of our armoury and this is hopefully where we can beat the English.

You still have to take 20 wickets to win a Test but through large scores going on the board, more pressure can be exerted in the middle.

Last week I went down to Hagley Park in Christchurch to watch the England v Canterbury match.

Firstly, I should have been playing in it but with my back still not quite 100% it was decided I should take the cautious option and get ready for the Test match.

How the Canterbury Cricket Association had got the ground looking with the marquees and the picket fence was a real credit to them. With cricket in New Zealand being pushed more to the back in the major stadiums it brought home the need to look for cricket specific grounds for the longer form of the game.

While we should still play one-day games at our major grounds, Test matches should start to be played elsewhere.

Spare a thought for the Jade groundsman, Chris Lewis, who had a rugby match on Saturday and then has to get the ground ready on Wednesday for the cricket Test!

Drop-in pitches are a solution but it is not only the playing pitch that comes into focus, the practice wickets are also not up to international standard because the grounds are not cricket specific and there is not enough room at venues to house a cricket net structure.

What we practice on is just as vital as what we play on.