There are no excuses. We were ashamed and embarrassed to be dismissed for 58 in the first innings at Eden Park and, though we fought hard to save the First Test, we find ourselves 1-0 down heading to the Second Test in Christchurch.
Everybody is under pressure.
It may not seem an adequate or startling response but it’s the truth: this is a Test team in transition... some players have been around a while, some are just starting their international careers and, led by Joe Root, we are still developing our identity.
The England white-ball team underwent this same process three years ago, and suffered a few setbacks before emerging as a highly focused, effective and successful unit. If we withstand the unavoidable derision, we can follow the same path.
New Zealand performed well. Their three seamers bear comparison to the Australian trio, and they complement each other: Trent Boult skilfully swings the ball, Tim Southee hardly ever bowls a bad delivery and Neil Wagner has mastered the short ball.
Wagner, in particular, presents batsmen with a dilemma — either they go after him, and risk getting out and being lambasted for ‘giving it away’ or they duck under every bouncer, the runs dry up and they are criticised for being too negative.
Any team that gets bowled out for 58 should expect criticism. That’s fair enough, but the pundit chorus is not always on the money. People criticise Cook for not moving his feet when he has not changed anything in the technique that has helped him score more than 12,000 runs in Test cricket. Even so, collectively, we know we have to deliver a vastly improved batting performance in the Second Test, and I am confident we will deliver nothing less. We desperately want to finish this long tour on a high note and restore public confidence in our ability.
