Moores: Preparation time not the issue

Peter Moores has insisted England's preparation is not to blame for Steve Harmison's struggle for form during the dismal opening Test defeat by New Zealand.

The England coach has begun the post-mortem into the 189-run humbling in Hamilton, with Harmison's failure to make an impact high on the list of problems to solve before the second match of the series at the Basin Reserve on Thursday.

"There's been a lot of talk about preparation - when we came here for the one-day series we had a week to prepare and we won our first two games and we were fine," Moores said. "The Test match boys had 19 days, so they nearly had three weeks - which was a long time. Harmison's time was cut short a bit because of the baby, but we brought them out earlier than we've ever brought them out before."

He added: "They had 10 days on their own and then they had nine days with us when we finished the one-day series to get ready, and we were conscious of the fact we wanted those bowlers to get time outside to bowl on grass - because you can't do that in England.

"I don't think it's a preparation thing. You can prepare for so long, but eventually you've got to be able to deliver in the game - and that's down to each individual player."

Durham fast bowler Harmison barely got over 80mph at Seddon Park, claimed only one wicket and conceded 121 runs from his 27 overs, while Matthew Hoggard also struggled during New Zealand's first innings and with the batting line-up performing timidly, selector James Whitaker is to delay his trip home to discuss England's options.

In the build-up to the first Test, England played a two-day match and a three-day game - which was disrupted by rain - in Dunedin when every bowler except Ryan Sidebottom, who finished with 10 wickets in the first Test, had a good run-out.

"We played a two-day game and a three-day game to try and get as much match practice in as we possibly could," added Moores. "There was no more time to fit in any more match days unless we started putting lads in with other teams.

"To be fair to Harmison and Hoggard and (Michael) Vaughan, they worked very hard and physically they were in very good shape.

"The only one who had his preparation cut short a little bit was Steve by four or five days, and that was because of the baby - so I don't see that as the main issue at the moment."