AUCKLAND, Feb 22: England’s star batsman Graham Thorpe believes the team’s One-day International win over New Zealand in Napier was a great morale booster as the tourists attempt to level the five-match series in Auckland Saturday.

England’s 43-run victory Wednesday cut New Zealand’s lead in the series to 2-1.

“We are playing much better cricket than we were two or three days ago,” Thorpe said.

“By winning a game where the level of performance was encouraging, has really helped our confidence.

“Now all we’ve got to do is stay focussed and do it again. We did it in India, but it’s not much fun always coming from behind.”

Thorpe is a much happier man than when he left Ahmedabad near the end of the tour of India to attend to domestic problems back in Surrey.—Reuters