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Hadlee: England are "out-and-out" favourites

07/05/2008

New Zealand great Sir Richard Hadlee has claimed that England are "out-and-out" favourites in the upcoming test series between the two countries.

England will take on the Kiwis in the first npower test on May 15th at Lords.

Hadlee claimed New Zealand's continual batting failures were preventing the team for winning more game and blamed the collapses on a lack of test matches.

"One of the problems we've had is that we've invariably bowled well in the first innings, but when we've batted we've been knocked over in 50 or 60 overs and the bowlers are bowling twice in a day," he told the Times.

"They haven't had the recovery time to put in another big performance.

"The problem we have is scoring enough runs in a game. Normally we have a hiccup in one innings. That is a reflection that we are not used to batting time. We don't play anywhere near as many Tests as most nations."

Hadlee, who has been chairman of selectors for the past eight years, said that the mood was good within the New Zealand camp ahead of the series and claimed the team enjoying playing under new captain Daniel Vettori.

"The players really enjoy playing under Vettori. The fact he is a different bloke [from Stephen Fleming] is refreshing. This is a new era and we'll have some misses over the next few years, but hopefully these new players can be the superstars of the future."

He also said that England bowler Ryan Sidebottom will be a continual threat for the Kiwis this summer, praising the Nottinghamshire player's "nagging accuracy".

"In 2004 we arrived in England with a very strong batting line-up and yet we were well beaten. The difference between the two sides then was Stephen Harmison, who got wickets at crucial times, and the difference this winter was Sidebottom. It's important that we combat him. He has nagging accuracy, can bowl left-arm round the wicket, which is rare, and bowls a heavy ball that's always there or thereabouts. I admire what he did in New Zealand."