"England have bowlers who can only bowl in certain pockets, whereas India and Australia have bowlers who can bowl for longer periods of the game"
Saturday 23 November 2019 21:26, UK
England must find more "x-factor" pace bowlers if they are to be more successful away from home, says Nasser Hussain.
Hussain was speaking on The Cricket Debate after a day on which England managed only two wickets as New Zealand, led by BJ Watling's century, moved into a 41-run lead in the first Test at Bay Oval.
Listen to the Cricket Debate below or download here...
"It's what England have been for the last 15 or 20 years away from home on a flat pitch with a Kookaburra ball," said Hussain, as England's bid for just a third win in eight Test series on the road took a hit.
"England look threatening at home, with Stuart Broad moving the Dukes ball sideways, but it's a completely different game [on the road].
"Until we find someone who can cope with that we will continue to have days like this.
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"The biggest thing in [England managing director of cricket] Ashley Giles' inbox should be England's attack away from home.
"It is toothless, so how do they solve it? It is not an easy situation but he has to start trying to work out a solution.
"That's why Archer is gold dust - he can bowl 90mph all the time, even though I'm not sure he wants to. But England need more x-factor, it can't just be Archer.
"We need extra pace in the attack - whether that's Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Henry Brookes, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton - for days and pitches like this.
"England have bowlers who can only bowl in certain pockets, whereas India and Australia have bowlers who can bowl for longer periods of the game."
Hussain's fellow expert Michael Atherton was critical of Joe Root's plans, citing his use of Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, as New Zealand managed 250-2 on day three in Mount Maunganui - Colin de Grandhomme (65) and Henry Nicholls (41) the only men out.
And Hussain says the England skipper has been guilty of not maintaining plans for long enough, even though his lack of penetrative bowlers is his main hindrance.
"I don't think Root is this Brealey-esque captain but he is trying his hardest to be that," added the Sky Cricket expert. "Sometimes I don't think he sticks with plans long enough and give them a real go.
"You have to have a captain who thinks outside of the box and I am not sure Joe is doing that for long enough. I still feel he lacks a bit of gut feel at times.
"However, you can shuffle the cards in your pack as many times as you like - they are still the same cards.
"If Australia are hitting you with 90-plus mph bowlers reversing it and you are hitting them with 80mph bowlers, all right-arm, all gun-barrel straight, you can do whatever you like as a captain, it will be the same result."
Also up for discussion on The Cricket Debate…
- How Watling typifies New Zealand's cricketing philosophy
- Whether Archer is being used in the right way
- If Stokes was under-bowled by Root at Bay Oval
- How Jack Leach needs to offer more with the ball
Watch day four of the first Test between New Zealand and England, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9.30pm on Saturday.
