Triumphant Hussain savours `best win'

Triumphant Hussain savours `best win'
Ian Pocock

LONDON, December 12:Nasser Hussain arrived home from Pakistan in triumph on Tuesday, savouring his "best win" as England cricket captain. Less than 24 hours separated Graham Thorpe's Test-series winning run and a news conference at Heathrow airport, and Hussain still wore his victory smile.

Flanked by coach Duncan Fletcher, England Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Lord MacLaurin and chief executive Tim Lamb, Hussain said: ``This was the best win of my time as England captain, there is no doubt about that.''

Hussain was justifiably buoyant after England's six-wicket victory in near darkness in the third and final Test at Karachi secured a 1-0 series success -- their first in Pakistan for 38 years.

``From start to finish it was a fantastic performance from everyone in the side,'' Hussain said. ``In the summer, we knew that if we played well, then we were favourites for the Test series against the West Indies but in Pakistan, no one had given us a chance."

``We went out on tour with everyone thinking it was going to be a comfortable victory for them and we came away with the win. It was definitely our best performance.''

Hussain has now led England to three consecutive Test series wins, over Zimbabwe, West Indies and Pakistan.

``It has all been about teamwork and making everyone feel like they are contributing to the side whether they are in the team that day or not, the England skipper said.

``It has been down to everyone in the squads. They have given their very best and that has meant that when we have gone out to play, there is an air of confidence about us.

``What we have tried to do is develop a team spirit that makes the squad a strong unit and I think we have now done that. We have set about doing the basics properly and formed a team that plays for each other for five days of a Test match.''

Hussain is now relishing next year's Ashes series at home, but first comes the difficult task of an away series in Sri Lanka, followed by a return clash with Pakistan in England.

``(Former England captain) Keith Fletcher always said the hardest series he ever played in was an away one in Sri Lanka, so we are aware that we have to keep up the momentum,'' Hussain said.

``Our focus is on the Ashes but we are not going to think about that until the Sri Lanka series is out of the way. Then it is Pakistan at home, so it is not going to be an easy few months of cricket for the team. There are not too many superstars in our team, so we know that the way we are going to beat the best in the world is by being a close unit.

``That is the main thing we are working on and if we can put together another performance like the recent one, then we are certainly going to challenge for the Ashes next summer.''