England coach criticises out-of-shape players

England coach Duncan Fletcher criticised players on Wednesday for turning up in New Zealand out of shape for the three-match Test series. With less than a week to go before a busy stint when England will play three back-to-back Tests, Fletcher said he was disappointed that some players left out of the one-day series turned up in New Zealand out of shape.

The England management had set down detailed training schedules for players to follow while the one-day squad were playing in India and New Zealand, but Fletcher has questioned whether certain individuals stuck to the plan.

"They have been caught out a little bit here and they have not been able to get up to match fitness as quickly as we would have liked," Fletcher told reporters at a news conference.

"It surprises me that they have not turned up as fit as they should be. Some of them did not adhere to their programmes as exactly as we would have liked." NOT FIT

The squad was bolstered by the arrival 11 days ago in Auckland of Mark Butcher, Mark Ramprakash, Usman Afzaal, Jimmy Ormond, Warren Hegg and Richard Dawson.

Fletcher refused to name the players he felt were not up to scratch but said it would be taken into account when end of tour reports are penned.

"They can be supervised to some degree but these guys are individuals and they must realise that they have come out here to play a Test match," he said.

"I know which guys were not fit enough and we will have a chat and make a decision at the end of the tour."

England start their final three day warm-up match before the first Test on Thursday when they take on Canterbury at Hagley Oval, where Fletcher hopes his side will be sharper than they were in last week's draw with Otago.

"The Test match guys have not had much preparation and it's very important for them to play in this game," he said. "Even the guys that were playing in the one-dayers need to play because they look as though they are in one-day mode.

"I've looked at the guys in the nets and thought they need to get on with it a bit and they have to realise that we are here to play Test cricket so there has to be a slight change to their tactics."

Young wicketkeeper Jamie Foster returns to the England side on Thursday after three weeks on the sidelines and Fletcher is backing him to bounce back after a loss of form.

"Being left out doesn't seem to have affected him," he said. "He is a positive individual who has always seemed up for it when he has come in for criticism in the past.

"We just hope he can perform in this game and show the form he had in India when I thought he kept very well in the Tests."

Marcus Trescothick and Graham Thorpe have been rested against Canterbury.

Mail Cricket Editor