English cricketers relax with golf and steam bath

Bangalore, India, December 17: The touring England cricket team prepared for the final Test against India here by playing golf and relaxing in a steam bath Monday.

The tourists have stayed away from the cricket field since the drawn second Test at Ahmedabad on Saturday, which still left India with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

England will, however, put in a full training session on Tuesday ahead of the series-clinching last Test, which starts at the Chinnaswamy stadium on Wednesday.

While wicket-keeper James Foster and paceman Richard Johnson took in a round of golf on Monday, the others preferred to laze around in a steam bath at the team's hotel.

"It is relaxing to get out of the hotel and keep your mind off cricket for some hours," Foster said.

Johnson said he wanted to play "golf a couple of hours instead of thinking cricket 24 hours."

Skipper Nasser Hussain had other worries as he attempted to get rid of the stomach bug that he, Mark Butcher and Michael Vaughan picked up during the Ahmedabad Test.

All three are, however, expected to be fit by Wednesday morning.

A plus for England has been the way left-arm spinner Ashley Giles came through 75 overs bowling at Ahmedabad.

Giles recorded Test-best figures of five for 67 in the first innings and his troublesome Achilles, which blighted most of his 2001 season, stood up to the test.

"It's one hell of an achievement. It proved that Ashley has worked really hard at his fitness," said coach Duncan Fletcher.

"That is the most pleasing part as other cricketers previously would have come here unfit.

"I can't believe how many overs he got through in the first innings and how well he bowled -- from our point of view it justifies the decision to bring him out here," Fletcher said.