WORLD CUP cricket next year is still one of my targets, despite what Nasser Hussain told the Daily Echo yesterday.

During the winter I had 'World Cup' written on my fridge in Perth to keep me motivated. It reminded me what I am striving for and ensured that I ate the right food and drank water instead of Coke.

I was told that I needed to work harder on my batting and my fielding before the winter and that's exactly what I did. I'm in the best physical condition of my life and I've even had umpires tell me how much my batting has improved this season.

I used a video recorder to film myself bat against a bowling machine in Perth and my batting has improved a lot as a result. I've been involved in two 50-run partnerships in the championship and have done all that's been asked of me.

My fielding has also improved.

There are not too many 6ft 5in bowlers who leap around like Jonty Rhodes but I don't think I'm any worse than any other strike bowler in world cricket in the field.

What do I have to do now except become ten years younger?

I'm often accused of being too laid back but you don't get anyone more competitive than me and I've still got six or seven years left in me.

The Australians don't tell Glenn McGrath to become an all-rounder and it's the same with New Zealand's Shane Bond and the West Indies Cameron Cuffy to name just two others.

I don't think Australia would ever drop McGrath and my record isn't much worse than his in one-day cricket.