Strauss keen to kick on

1 April 2008

Andrew Strauss en route to 177, the highest score of his Test career © Getty Images

England batsman Andrew Strauss hopes his decisive 177 in the series win in New Zealand will pave the way for more big scores.

The left-hander went into the final Test under increasing pressure after failing to make a sizeable contribution in New Zealand following his recall to the side.

But he responded with his first Test century since August 2006 – and his highest score in any form of cricket – to help set up victory in Napier and secure a 2-1 series triumph.

"The hundred was well overdue and not getting one for a while had become a bit of a millstone round my neck,” said Strauss. “It was an important knock and takes a bit of pressure off me.

“I don't think I coped with the pressure last summer. I was very worried by the end of it about what might happen if I didn't get runs, but then you get pretty negative about things.

"There was obviously a lot of speculation about what might happen, but it doesn't help as a player to think in those terms.

"The one thing I was determined to do throughout the series was not worry too much about what lay around the corner," he added.

"I tried not to feel under too much pressure in New Zealand and that gave me a better chance of scoring runs.

“Now having got a century I feel less pressurised still and I think that will enable me to play better.”

Strauss releases the pressure with a decisive century in the final Test © Getty Images

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Strauss admits the selectors' decision to drop him from for the first time since his Test debut in 2004 forced him to re-examine his approach to the game.

And he is now reaping the benefits of a clear mindset as the Kiwis prepare for their tour of England, which begins next month.
"Life does go on and things that are important to you remain the same,” said Strauss. “That is a good realisation to come to – it was just a shame that I had to be dropped in order to realise that.

"It was also important to take a step back and have a look at how things had gone over the last 12 months and realise where I had gone wrong and how to fix those problems.

"It is difficult to look inwards and you almost don't want to do that because you have to keep looking forward. I had a bit of an opportunity to be pretty honest with myself.

"There were so many ingredients I had to look at, not just whether I played the right shot or not. I was in the wrong mindset, no doubt about that.

“I had gone away from my game plan and tried to play shots I should not have done and that was a symptom of having a bad mindset.”

He added: “The hundred gave me a fair amount of relief but more than anything a great deal of happiness to get a hundred and help England win the series.

"I just felt I was contributing to the side again. It was a tough series and one we needed to win.

“Having won that, like myself, the team feels a little bit less pressurised and will play better cricket on the back of it.”