November 12 Tuesday 2002
Hussain to fly to pregnant wife's side

BRISBANE: England captain Nasser Hussain will travel to Hobart with his team on Tuesday for their match against Australia A starting on Friday before flying to Perth during the weekend to attend the birth of his child. 

Hussain's pregnant wife, Karen, is due to give birth to the couple's second child next week, on the eve of the second Test starting in Adelaide on November 21.

Hussain has admitted he made a big mistake in bowling first in last week's first Ashes Test in Brisbane, which Australia won by 384 runs and the captain will now be given the chance to get away from the squad for a few days. 

"Nasser will stay with the team in Hobart until the weekend and then rejoin the squad upon their arrival in Adelaide (early next week)," England spokesman Andrew Walpole said on Monday. 

"We haven't finally decided that yet (which day Hussain will fly to Perth)." England coach Duncan Fletcher told a news conference in Brisbane on Monday that Hussain had the full blessing of team management to fly to Perth for a few days and return refreshed on the eve of the crucial second Test of the five-match series. 

"At the end of the day, the captain needs a break," Fletcher said. "After that it's two back-to-back Tests (November 21-25 in Adelaide and November 29-December 3 in Perth).

"It's good for him and, in the end, it's going to be good for the team." Hussain admitted on Sunday his players had been unusually nervous before the first day's play of the first Test on Thursday, during which Australia made 364 for two after being sent in to bat. Fletcher said England's team management would discuss the idea of employing a sports psychologist during the tour. 

"It will be discussed and, if required, we will make a decision," said Fletcher, who added England needed to handle Australia's constant pressure better. 

"One thing you will find out here is that the pressure is going to be more intense than against other sides for the quality of the bowling, for instance," Fletcher said. 

"You're not going to have one or two good bowlers coming at you, you're going to have three and just that extra bowler makes a big difference. That's what they have to appreciate -- coming out and experiencing pressure all the time."