Big score is an innings away - How

Jamie How, the New Zealand opener, has said criticism over his selection for the Test series against West Indies did not bother him and despite low scores in Dunedin he felt he was in good form.

After New Zealand's 2-0 drubbing by Australia, the selectors made wholesale changes to the squad but How survived the axe that fell on batsmen Aaron Redmond, Grant Elliott, Peter Fulton and Gareth Hopkins.

"There is always pressure when you're playing for your country," How told New Zealand's Sunday News. "And when you start letting media pressure affect you, that's when you know you're in trouble. We've got high standards as players and we're our harshest critics.

"It's something you have to embrace and when you do succeed it makes it that much sweeter. I don't think pressure is a bad thing."

How aggregated 58 from the two Tests against Australia but said it was his 170 in the tour game against New South Wales that gave him the confidence and belief that he was "only one innings away from that next big score".

How has not scored a century in his 17 Tests, including the latest against West Indies in which he aggregated 20. In his last ten Test innings - including four against Bangladesh - he has scored 146 runs at an average of 14.60.

How said working with Andy Moles, New Zealand's new coach who opened for Warwickshire for several seasons, has been helpful. "It's good to get knowledge from a guy who opened the batting for so many years, to be able to talk to him about that specific position."

How said Moles' entry into New Zealand cricket, which ended John Bracewell's five-year tenure as coach, was a fresh start. "There is a fresh feeling within the team and the guys have been excited about playing at home again. It seems like an age since we have."