Wisden 20:20 - The tone-setter

England vs India, 1st Test, day 1, Lord's

Nasser Hussain’s 120 not out was his 11th Test century - and the fifth he’s made in the England’s first innings of a series. More importantly, three of the first four came in victories - including 128 against India on their last tour here, in 1996, and a brilliant 106 on a sticky Christchurch wicket last winter. Hussain has assumed Mike Atherton’s mantle as England’s premier tone-setter.

Our graph shows where Hussain scored his runs. He was at his most productive when the Indians pitched the ball up, and one flip through midwicket around his front pad evoked Viv Richards. He was especially harsh on his opposite number Sourav Ganguly, cuffing him for 15 off 13 balls.

Hussain scratched around a bit at first. Before lunch he was in control of just 70% of his strokes, but between lunch and tea that inched up to 81% as he and John Crawley opened their shoulders and took charge. He also continued the remarkable run of form of England’s No. 3 batsman. The position used to be a bit of a poisoned chalice, but Hussain’s hundred followed innings of 105, 94 and 123 by Mark Butcher in the Sri Lanka series. Then there was Hussain’s hundred in the NatWest Series final on this ground. At least he didn’t point to his back this time.

Earlier Wisden 20:20
Kaif's KO - Final: Eng vs Ind
At Last - Game 8: Eng vs Ind
The secret weapon - Game 7: Eng vs SL
Digging it in - Game 3: Ind vs SL

Rob Smyth is on the staff of Wisden.com. Exclusive from Wisden.com