England in command; Hussain injured

By Ted Corbett

LONDON, MAY 19. Nasser Hussain, the England captain, is out for the next three to four weeks after breaking his right thumb during his protracted innings against Pakistan in the first Test at Lord's today. Alec Stewart, who led England in the period immediately before Hussain took charge, will be skipper for the rest of this Test.

Hussain will miss the second Test - on unofficial paternity leave when his first child is born during the match - and some of the one-day games in the triangular tournament against Pakistan and Australia next month, but he should be fit for the crucial Ashes Tests which begin in July.

It is his third hand injury since he took over the captaincy in 1999 against New Zealand when he broke a finger fielding in the second Test. Last year he broke a thumb in a county game and missed the Lord's Test against West Indies and several one-day games; at the end of the Sri Lanka tour in March he was forced to return home after England's Test triumph with a groin strain.

The debate on the captaincy will run and run. Hussain has four consecutive series victories and only this morning received a nod of approval from Ted Dexter, England captain in the 1960s and the next president of MCC. ``He has grown in stature with every match,'' wrote Dexter.

But who steps into his shoes? Stewart is 38 and certainly not a leader for long even though his 44 today was a reminder of his ability to age slowly. Graham Thorpe, who led the one-day side in Sri Lanka, is overlooked. Why? His innings on the first day of this Test shows that he is the class bat in this still fragile England team.

Hussain's injury came when his men were in complete control as they had been throughout the first day. England lost nightwatchman Ryan Sidebottom, caught at slip off Wasim Akram's pace but Stewart played the sort of rumbustious innings that was needed at 254 for five with six 4s in a 53-ball 44. Then in just 30 minutes all England's fortunes changed.

In the 103rd over Hussain was hit by Wasim, and in the 104th struck by a lifting ball from Shoaib Akhtar. He was out in the next over after five hours at the crease for 64, taking his damaged hand away from the bat as he edged the ball to Rashid Latif, and immediately went to hospital. Stewart was out in the 108th, trapped lbw as he hit across the line and, at 317 for seven, 350 looked out of reach.

Once there would have been a collapse. Instead Dominic Cork - my nomination for captain if Hussain's thumb does not heal quickly - and the newcomer Ian Ward scampered singles until lunch at 341 and put on 48 before Cork was caught. Cork was aggressive, and Ward batted as if he had been playing Tests for five years.

Movie men say it takes years to be an overnight success but when Ward walked back to the pavilion with the crowd - and the Pakistanis - applauding his 39 out of the final England total of 391 he must have felt all the adversity was worth while. Azhar Mahmood's four for 50 was his best in Tests but Pakistan missed the art of Saqlain Mushtaq omitted, so the rumours say, after a row rather than for team considerations.

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