Cricket: Their mission - to earn respect by winning

By MARK GEENTY in London

New Zealand's cricketers are done complaining about a lack of respect in England. Instead, they have embraced the notion on the eve of the first test starting at Lord's tonight.

The two teams appear as evenly matched as at any time in their 74-year rivalry, with a buoyant England slight favourites before an expected 30,000 opening-day crowd. New Zealand have long felt a lack of credit from the England cricketing public - even though they are no Australia or India on the drawcard scale - and captain Stephen Fleming even used it through the media to try to fire up his side before the home series between the nations two years ago.

This time, New Zealand are using their undercard status to the West Indies, who tour later in the summer, as motivation, if there was any more needed as they chase successive series wins in England and a repeat of their 1999 maiden victory at Lord's.

"We're probably not hugely respected. There's a mentality here that if you haven't done it in England, then who are you?" Scott Styris said ahead of his first match against England.

"We need to earn that respect, we need to play good winning cricket, then take the series and say we are better than those guys.

"While we think we're a good side, we need to prove it here."

England, fresh from their 3-0 demolition of the West Indies in the Caribbean, have moved to third on the test rankings. New Zealand are fifth, with India splitting them.

The home side have an edge in the bowling department, with speedster Stephen Harmison snaring 50 test wickets at an average of 19.64 in the past year.

He has able back-up from swing bowler Matthew Hoggard and either James Anderson or Simon Jones.

New Zealand have a proven wicket-taking opening attack of Daryl Tuffey and Chris Martin, but lack the fear factor Shane Bond would bring.

He is still on ice for the second test in a fortnight as he continues his comeback from back injuries.

The batting tips slightly New Zealand's way, with their superior middle and lower order which accommodates test centurions Jacob Oram at No 8 and Daniel Vettori at No 9.

With captain and opening batsman Michael Vaughan uncertain after sustaining a knee injury at training on Monday, the scales waver towards the tourists.

New Zealand, though, have their own hobbling captain, with Fleming still not 100 per cent on his hip flexor injury.

"I wouldn't say it was totally sorted out. We've been assured by our medical staff that he's cleared to play," coach John Bracewell said.


The home players were giving it the "too-close-to-call" line, such is their respect for Fleming and Chris Cairns in his farewell test series.


"They're well led, they're a very similar side to us and all our battles have been very close," former England captain Nasser Hussain said.

A rebuilt England have just three survivors from the nine-wicket loss in 1999 at Lord's, Hussain, Mark Butcher and Graham Thorpe, while there are five New Zealanders back - Fleming, Cairns, Nathan Astle, Vettori and Craig McMillan.

And no series between the two countries series would be complete without some niggle.

Five years ago Cairns and Thorpe fought a memorable verbal battle which spilled over to the morning warm-ups, and there is sure to be some verbal sparring again.

England batsman Butcher, another on the receiving end from New Zealand in 1999, expects nothing less.

"Every series we've had with them has been a little bit that way. Australia are always going to be like that and South Africa were pretty niggly last year. Those would be the three main ones and I don't expect it to change here."

The teams England (from) Michael Vaughan (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Paul Collingwood, Ashley Giles, Simon Jones, James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison, Andrew Strauss.

New Zealand Stephen Fleming (capt), Mark Richardson, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin.


* The match is live on Sky Sport 1 from 9pm.

- NZPA