Hussain learns while Tendulkar bats

Chester-le-Street, July 05: While Sachin Tendulkar did the batting, Nasser Hussain did the learning.

The little maestro, who was in full flow en route to his 105 not out yesterday, might not have known that the English skipper was 'educating' himself seeing the champion wield the willow in a stupendous fashion.

"I think we learnt more about batting than fielding today. We learnt how to go in a one-day innings from a great player," said Hussain after the one-dayer was abandoned yesterday due to rains.

Tendulkar's unbeaten 108-ball knock helped his side reach an imposing 285 for four in 50 overs after the team was reeling at 52 for three at one stage. With Rahul Dravid (82), he put on 169 for the fourth wicket, an Indian record against England surpassing the previous best of 164 between Tendulkar himself and Vinod Kambli at Jaipur during the 1992-93 series.

Hussain was so overwhelmed by Tendulkar's innings that it was difficult for him to find fault with the English fielding or bowling which was mauled by the champion batsman.

"I think credit is due to one great player who showed how to rebuild an innings. Today the little master showed us how to play a one-day innings. I have no complaints over our bowling or fielding".    

Hussain said his team only stood a chance of restricting the Indians if they were able to break the Tendulkar-Dravid stand. "We were right there till the 40th over. Upto 41st, we were just hoping to get a wicket in that spell."

Justifying his decision to bring back for the final overs Ashley Giles and Paul Collingwood, who were hammared by Tendulkar, Hussain said "I think Sachin was trying to line up Giles or Collingwood. I was delaying them in the hope that someone could get Sachin out. That's why both were asked to bowl in the last 10 overs."

Tendulkar opened up after 40 overs and hit left-arm spinner Giles twice over extra cover for fours and then reverse swept him for another boundary.

"It was going down to a plan if we had put them down to 240 or 250. But the brilliance of Tendulkar got them 30-40 runs more. He just took the game away from us," said Hussain.

He also praised Yuvraj Singh, who smashed 40 runs off 19 balls, but said the game was nicely set up for him by Tendulkar and Dravid.

"It was set up nicely for him in a similar way it was for Flintoff at Trent Bridge. When you have only a few overs to bat, it is a bit of a license."

After witnessing India's batting prowess in the one-dayers, the England captain said the strong Indian line up would be a cause for worry for England all summer.

"I think we have to get our thinking caps on. If we have to beat India, we have to find out how are we going to get through this batting line-up", he said.

Even though his team at the 12-over stage, when the play was called off, was better placed than the Indians during their innings, the visitors were more likely to win the match, conceded Hussain.

"Obviously when a side gets 280 you are up against it. Once you get runs on the board, you are favourite. That is the basic of one-day cricket. We would have needed a special innings or two. As we have seen in the last couple of weeks, we have got the players to do it.

"I would be lying if I said they were not the favourites at that stage. 

Though Hussain praised India's performance in the series so far, he said the white Kookaburra ball used in this series did not seem to be doing much for the bowlers which should be a cause for worry for all the three teams in fray.

"Everyone should be concerned because there are some big scores around. The white ball is not swinging as much as the Duke ball. We don't know what it would be like in Australia or in South Africa," he said.

Hussain said the wicket at Riverside wasn't much of a help to his bowlers because it tended to keep low.

"Unfortunately, it was a very sub-continent type of wicket. It kept pretty low and you had to bowl straight as there was not a lot of bounce".