Hussain aware of pressure (30 May 1999)
It was never, with England's capacity for self-destruction, going to be anything other than a nerve-racking day
30-May-1999
30 May 1999
Hussain aware of pressure
Paul Newman
It was never, with England's capacity for self-destruction, going to
be anything other than a nerve-racking day. And the first World Cup
match to go into a second day in this tournament just prolongs the
agony.
Nasser Hussain classed England's crunch clash against India at
Edgbaston yesterday, in which he scored 33 before being bowled, as a
quarter-final. No such stage exists in World Cup '99, but the Essex
captain is certainly treating it with such a degree of importance.
Hussain, preferred to Warwickshire's run-starved Nick Knight as Alec
Stewart's opening partner throughout the competition, said: "If you
win this one, you take two points into the Super Six stage. Then you
may only need one more win to reach the semi-finals.
"There have been special games in the World Cup, but this is the
biggest as far as atmosphere and importance are concerned. India are
a very good side, with a lot of support. It's certainly turning out
that way.
"South Africa and India are the two best opponents in the group. We
lost to South Africa, so we have got the chance to redeem ourselves
against players of the quality of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and
Sourav Ganguly."
Hussain scored his maiden Test century at Edgbaston - against India -
in 1996, six years after his debut. And a double century off
Australia the following season was the dream innings of his career so
far. Originally omitted from the World Cup squad but selected after
Mike Atherton was forced out, Atherton has passed the half-century
mark twice.
"I'm enjoying it," he added. "I like this sort of cricket, you've got
a role to play, to try and bat through the innings to get a hundred.
You have a game plan and you are determining the course of the match."
Hussain's razor-sharp fielding, too, has been crucial, and his
run-out of Zimbabwe's Andy Flower at Trent Bridge was of the same
class as South Africa's livewire, Jonty Rhodes.
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)