'Players can redeem themselves with a top-class performance in the second innings'
Saturday 24 March 2018 14:56, UK
Batting coach Graham Thorpe has urged England's 'shell-shocked' players to redeem themselves in the first Test against New Zealand.
The tourists were bundled out for just 58 in the first innings as New Zealand, 177 runs ahead on 233-4 after a rain-ruined third day, grabbed the initiative at Eden Park.
Asked if Joe Root's team were shell-shocked after being shot out by Trent Boult and Tim Southee in just 20.4 overs on the first morning, Thorpe said: "Yes, there is a lot of [that]. You're playing for your country and you get rocked over like that - it dents your pride.
"But you can't feel sorry for yourself for too long because the next day is coming. You can't just run into the hills or hide under the bed."
Thorpe who was part of the England side that collapsed to 46 all out against the West Indies in 1993/94 but came back to win the following Test - a story of recovery the former left-hander has shared with the team.
"The mind is the most important thing, so my life experience can come into play a bit," he said. "Technique is one thing, but actually most important is getting your head back into the battle of the match.
"We've still got quite a lot of work to do in this Test match, but they can redeem themselves by putting in a top-class performance in the second innings. That is what it will have to be to get out of this Test match.
"There is enough character in that dressing room, and they have been through experiences before as well, and you have to dust yourself down and get on with the next day. The rain has helped us a little bit but we have to bat a damn sight better than we did."
Thorpe has been careful to strike a balance which does not over-load with mid-match technical advice.
"It is a tough thing to sit on people's shoulders and peck away in their ear telling them what to do.
"They are international players and for the amount of times and the amount of experience our lads have against the moving ball you would like to think that, while not everyone will come to grips with it, you would get a couple of partnerships in that situation."
New Zealand seamer Tim Southee, meanwhile, admits he is frustrated at how little the game has moved on since the opening day due to the rain that has swept Auckland.
Rain washed out all but 17 balls of play on the third day after a little over 90 minutes of play was possible on day two.
"The position we're in now is a good one," Southee, who returned figures of 4-25. "The rain has been frustrating but the work we put in on day one has made that frustration a little bit easier to swallow."
England seamer James Anderson complained after day two that the pink balls used in this day-night Test are out of shape but Southee admitted no such concerns.
"I think the pink ball historically has been a nice ball to bowl with first up, but you've still got to put it in the right areas and try to get as much as movement as you can," Southee said.
"We had the first use of the wicket and we probably got our lengths right, but we've seen throughout, when England have bowled, there have always been challenging times, and our batters have done a pretty good job so far.
"Being caged up for a couple of days, it's important when we do go out and bowl that we hit our areas from the start."
Watch live coverage of day four of the first Test between New Zealand and England live on Sky Sports Cricket from 12am on Sunday.
