Captains agree: fielding was the crucial difference at Lord's

Both captains were in agreement as to the crucial difference between the teams as they reflected on the Second npower Test at Lord's.

"I think the fielding was the difference between the two sides," Steve Waugh reasoned. "England missed a few chances and today we were pretty sharp. It makes a huge difference to the overall outcome of the match."

Mike Atherton agreed. "We dropped few chances and you can't afford to give good players two or three lives," he said.

"We dropped three or four early chances yesterday and that could have produced a lead in the region of 100 and could have given us an opportunity to set Australia a smallish total."

But Waugh praised the English bowlers, and insisted that his team deserved credit for the victory, rather than England the criticism.

"I know as a batsmen you have got to work hard out there, it certainly is not easy. They are a very competitive side and it (fielding) can be the difference. In a Test match you only get a couple of chances, but we are playing good cricket and putting England under a lot of pressure."

"Lord's has some great memories," Glenn McGrath said as he was presented with the man of the match award. He, too, paid tribute to the Australian fielders, but acknowledged a couple of the other fast bowlers involved in the game too.

"Jason Gillespie should also be commended on his effort and also Andy Caddick for continuing the attack," McGrath praised. "With the slip squad we have there and Mark Waugh with his new world record, they help a lot because they seem to catch every one of them."

Asked about the chances of Thorpe being fit for the Third Test the England coach Duncan Fletcher revealed that the batsman was to see a specialist tomorrow after an x-ray had proved inconclusive.

"It would be a big disappointment if Graham was out," admitted Fletcher. "He's really played well for us, he looked good in the first innings and we need him in the side because he's a very experienced and top class player."

Nasser Hussain will undergo a fitness Test next weekend when a decision will made about his availability for the next Test. Asked by Channel 4 if Hussain would be fit for Trent Bridge Atherton said with feeling "I hope so!"