Focus is the key, says England coach Fletcher by AFP

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Event:

England in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 18th November 2005

 

England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher said Friday his team needed to stay focused in every session to boost hopes of squaring the Test series against Pakistan.

 

"You got to make sure you remain focused for every session on all five days. We have done it before and we can do it again," Fletcher said ahead of the second Test starting here on Sunday.

 

England trail 1-0 in the three-match series following their 22-run defeat in the opening Test at Multan on Wednesday.

 

"We played some real positive cricket (at Multan). Test cricket is a difficult game. You can play well for four days and suddenly you can get yourself in trouble within an hour," said Fletcher.

 

England had an upper hand on the first four days of the opening Test before losing their way on the fifth and final morning. They were bowled out for 175 chasing a 198-run target.

 

Fletcher, however, said he was satisfied with the intensity his team showed in the previous game.

 

"Intensity has been very good. We need the same kind of intensity we had mentioned before we left for the tour," said Fletcher, a former Zimbabwean captain who took over as England's coach in 2000.

 

Fletcher described captain Michael Vaughan's recovery from a knee injury and Marcus Trescothick's decision to stay with the squad as good signs for his side ahead of the Test.

 

"Vaughan gave himself a very good test today which was good to see," he said of the captain, who missed the first match due to the injury sustained during a warm-up game at Lahore.

 

Vaughan, the first England captain to win the Ashes against Australia for 18 years with a dramatic 2-1 win at home in September, practised with the team on Friday.

 

It was his first work-out since the suffering the injury.

 

The final decision, however, on Vaughan will be made on Saturday.

 

"You got to be fit to play. If Vaughan is ready he will play," said Fletcher.

 

Fletcher said England just could not afford to miss Trescothick.

 

"Marcus is a world-class players who is averaging over 40. He is in form and is batting as well as he ever has and his staying with the team is a great news for us," he said.

 

Trescothick decided Friday to stay with the team despite a serious injury to his father-in-law in a domestic accident.

 

"Having missed (Simon) Jones already and to miss another quality player like Marcus it would have been a big problem for our side," the England coach said.

 

Jones took 18 wickets in four Ashes Tests before being ruled out of the Pakistan tour due to a knee injury.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)