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Jeremy Coney: witnessed England struggle at time

They were very fit for the end of the Test series, but not for the beginning of it.

Jeremy Coney
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CRICKET LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
New Zealand in England
Three Test Series
1st Test - Lord's
2nd Test - Old Trafford
3rd Test - Trent Bridge
From May 15 2008
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Former New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney has told Sky Sports that he thinks England made 'heavy weather' of winning the Test series in New Zealand.

England sealed a 2-1 series win by wrapping up the third and final Test in Napier on Wednesday but despite bouncing back from a poor start, Coney felt England should have beaten a 'modest' New Zealand side more convincingly.

"From my perspective, I say well done England," he said. "2-1, like Lazarus coming back and at the same time to win overseas, terrific, well done.

Struggled

"But you haven't looked a calm, confident, good side. It has been played against, let's be fair, a modest team that is depleted, with a paper thin batting order, and there have been a moments of struggle that we have all witnessed.

"It has been interesting cricket to watch, fantastic, but it hasn't been the all-round performance because here was an opportunity in New Zealand, to go over there and all the batsmen iron out problems, to start this new season and head towards, as you guys like to talk about, Austrlia and the Ashes. That hasn't happened.

"So you have made heavy weather of it despite the win."

One of the reasons suggested for England's slow start has been that England's players, the bowlers in particular, are under-prepared and would benefit from more warm-up matches and more overs.

Bowling

Coney has his own theory on this subject.

"It is interesting isn't it?" asked Coney. "Is it a lag and a tie-over from the Duncan Fletcher regime of, 'we don't want to bowl too much'?

"Because that was the feeling I always got from someone like Duncan Fletcher and they were very fit for the end of the Test series, but not for the beginning of it."