成人论坛

it turned out to be a difficult pitch to set a target on and we failed miserably to do that. And then, after starting magnificently , we completely collapsed following a rain delay and it was one of those days when the wheels completely fell off and you wanted the ground to open and swallow you up.

I don鈥檛 think anyone involved in that game will ever forget it - for all the wrong reasons. All of a sudden, from being on an absolute high we were at an absolute low.

The time had come for us to get together and have a frank and fair discussion as a squad 鈥� and it turned out to be a critical, positive turn-around.

It wasn鈥檛 so much that harsh words were spoken, more that everyone was just very honest with each other about where we are and where want to be.

Everyone realises we want to be the best team in the world and to do that you have to play and train, day in, day out, like winners. It was by no means a negative meeting - it wasn鈥檛 case of us telling each other where we were going wrong, more of highlighting what we wanted to do more of and do better 鈥� and we all emerged from it massively lifted, positive and focused on what we wanted to do.

Nor was it the case that we thought we were better than we are or that we were over-confident. There isn鈥檛 a perception in this side about how good we are or aren鈥檛 鈥� we just know where we want to be, that we are by no means the finished article, and that we must continue to work our butts off to ensure we get there.

It was a shame that it took two defeats to make it happen, to be snapped around with a brutal reality check like we were, but I truly believe it will turn out to be a healthy thing that will put and keep us on the road to being the best possible team we can be.

That journey got going It was kickstarted by a magnificent performance from our bowlers, with James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad superb, and was carried on with a good batting display.

But, like I say, the change wasn鈥檛 necessarily in winning the game, it was in the preparation, training and focus brought about before the match.

From a personal point of view, of course it was disappointing to miss out on the win in Auckland, but I understood the decision. It was a seam-friendly pitch and to say the boundaries at Eden Park are not friendly for an off-spinner is an understatement. You need only see the treatment (Kiwi spinner) Jeetan Patel got in the Twenty20 matches to realise that.

Of course I鈥檓 desperate to get back into the side and I just have to keep my fingers crossed that the pitches and grounds are more conducive to my game in future.

I like to think there鈥檚 always room for a spinner in a match and I want to be providing that for England. I know my role in the side and I like to think I can play a big part in a successful England team.

Hopefully, that continues with the fourth one-dayer in Napier on Tuesday.

We鈥檙e utterly focused on the future and know that no-one has seen the best of this England team yet.

We came here knowing how good New Zealand are and how tough a tour it would be, but we certainly didn鈥檛 come here to lose and we鈥檒l be looking to continue where we left off in Auckland next up for sure.

In my last column I invited you to send me in your questions and here I'm going to do my best to answer a few of them...

Do you or any of the boys have any plans to pin Ryan Sidebottom down and cut that ridiculous barnet of his? (James Martin)
No plans whatsoever - I certainly wouldn鈥檛 even try. For a start his mum would kill me (his gran loves it too) and I know for a fact Sid would knock me out if I ever went near his hair. Everywhere he goes, for his entire life as far as I鈥檓 aware, people comment on the hair and it鈥檚 stick and praise in equal measure. There鈥檚 no chance he鈥檚 getting rid of it, though, it makes him who is.

How are you finding it being away from your girlfriend back home? (Sam Lyon)
My whole view of touring is that it鈥檚 the healthiest thing possible for a relationship 鈥� three months away from me has got to be good for my missus, I鈥檇 only be winding her up if I were back at home!

I know you play guitar and sing Graeme, so will you be taking the opportunity of adding a few Split Enz/Crowded House songs to your repertoire whilst in New Zealand? (Mel)
Not at all because it鈥檚 the sort of music my dad listens to.

Is there nobody in the current England set-up who enjoys music of the non-pop variety? (Jerry Turner)
Well, obviously, I have the best taste in music because the music I like is unquestionably magnificent! I鈥檇 personally say anyone who likes hip-hop, boy-bands and cheesy pop hasn鈥檛 got a clue and that鈥檚 basically 95% of the squad, which is a bit of a disgrace let鈥檚 be honest! Look at the best albums of all time and I don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l be finding S Club 7鈥檚 greatest hits in there - we鈥檝e basically got a bunch of fellas here who adore music for seven-year-old girls. I have to have my ipod on before a match just to avoid the stuff blasting out of the team stereo 鈥� rubbish.

What's your best experience away from the cricket so far this tour? (Sam Lyon)
Definitely the flight over because I sat next to Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher 鈥� a hero of mine. Luke Wright was originally supposed to sit next to him but he鈥檚 just a young boy-band wannabe and probably doesn鈥檛 even have a clue who he is so I got our seats swapped sharpish. It was proper Roy of the Rovers dream stuff 鈥� I鈥檒l probably get home and find I鈥檝e won the lottery and Newcastle are top of the Premier League. No, all right, that鈥檚 just ludicrous talk鈥�

Oh and also, when we got to LA Denise van Outen was at the airport and, being the gobby one of the gang, obviously it was left to me to chat to her 鈥� it was nice to share 45 minutes with the girl everyone fancies! In fact, she was so taken with me I expect she鈥檒l follow me to New Zealand, bless her. And it鈥檚 ok, I鈥檝e explained it to the missus 鈥� Denise van Outen is famous, it鈥檚 allowed.

Graeme 鈥� your flat back in Blisworth Mill is leaking. (Simon West)
My flat鈥檚 always leaking! Get the roof fixed Westy and stop moaning!

Keep your questions coming folks and I will be doing my best to dip in and out of this blog to answer them and keep you updated on the goings-on out here in New Zealand.

Cheers,
Graeme

Graeme Swann was talking to Sam Lyon