'We've definitely got to play five bowlers'
Injury to Steve Harmison has further hampered England's chances in a match they must win to level the series, and Duncan Fletcher was understandably cautious in the pre-match chat with the media
Cricinfo staff
17-Mar-2006
Injury to Steve Harmison has further hampered England's chances in a must-win game, and Duncan Fletcher, their coach, was understandably guarded and cautious in the pre-match chat with the media.
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On Harmison's injury
Harmison's position is that he won't be playing in the Test match, that's the one thing I can let you know. From our point of view, we are going to look at him for a week, we are going to review him after the Test match, see if he can be available for those two one-dayers and then assess whether he goes back, but he definitely won't be playing in the Test match.
Harmison's position is that he won't be playing in the Test match, that's the one thing I can let you know. From our point of view, we are going to look at him for a week, we are going to review him after the Test match, see if he can be available for those two one-dayers and then assess whether he goes back, but he definitely won't be playing in the Test match.
On the pitch
Interesting. It is very difficult to say at the moment. You just have to wait and see how it plays once the Test starts. But we have played on it before. The previous wicket did bounce a little bit and hopefully we can get some of that bounce off this wicket in the first couple of days.
Interesting. It is very difficult to say at the moment. You just have to wait and see how it plays once the Test starts. But we have played on it before. The previous wicket did bounce a little bit and hopefully we can get some of that bounce off this wicket in the first couple of days.
Losing five players who were key members of the Ashes triumph
We've just got to live with it. I don't know, I wouldn't like to say it's a curse. At times these coincidences do happen and we just got to live with it. From our point of view, they are huge losses, such experienced players, but we just have to get on with it. I wouldn't say it is a curse.
We've just got to live with it. I don't know, I wouldn't like to say it's a curse. At times these coincidences do happen and we just got to live with it. From our point of view, they are huge losses, such experienced players, but we just have to get on with it. I wouldn't say it is a curse.
Four bowlers or five?
We have definitely got to go in with five bowlers, it has definitely got to be five bowlers because we don't want Andrew Flintoff to be overworked. He is a major player and if we go in with just four bowlers, it would put enormous pressure on him and we don't want that.
We have definitely got to go in with five bowlers, it has definitely got to be five bowlers because we don't want Andrew Flintoff to be overworked. He is a major player and if we go in with just four bowlers, it would put enormous pressure on him and we don't want that.
On playing two spinners
We have got to have a look at it, I am not going to rule it out. Just have a look at it and see what our thoughts are tonight. We have sort of made up our mind where we are going but we want to make sure we don't miss anything out when we have our final discussion tonight.
We have got to have a look at it, I am not going to rule it out. Just have a look at it and see what our thoughts are tonight. We have sort of made up our mind where we are going but we want to make sure we don't miss anything out when we have our final discussion tonight.
Lack of partnerships in this series
It is an area of concern. But it sometimes happens and it sometimes doesn't. They are not machines, they can't go out there and just keep performing at the highest level. Sometimes players' form does dip a bit. From our point of view, it is crucial that some of the experienced players go out there and develop partnerships, get big scores. But I am sure they will rise to the occasion tomorrow.
It is an area of concern. But it sometimes happens and it sometimes doesn't. They are not machines, they can't go out there and just keep performing at the highest level. Sometimes players' form does dip a bit. From our point of view, it is crucial that some of the experienced players go out there and develop partnerships, get big scores. But I am sure they will rise to the occasion tomorrow.
On Monty Panesar
It's always been a little bit of a problem for us, spinners, because they don't really play on spinning wickets over there and it has been a concern. But from our point of view, we just hope that Monty develops into a good spin bowler. He still has a long way to go, he is very, very inexperienced. Who knows how good he will be if he gets that experience.
It's always been a little bit of a problem for us, spinners, because they don't really play on spinning wickets over there and it has been a concern. But from our point of view, we just hope that Monty develops into a good spin bowler. He still has a long way to go, he is very, very inexperienced. Who knows how good he will be if he gets that experience.