Stewart: Fix claim ruined my tour

'It was the hardest tour I've been on. The cricket is tough enough as it is, but when you've got other things on your mind it makes it doubly difficult.

'Overall I was happy with the way I kept wicket on what were difficult tracks. I never make excuses, but obviously I didn't produce the runs that my record says I am capable of.

'You can't control what people say but it was unpleasant and I would be lying if I said otherwise. What I am looking forward to is being able to concentrate purely on the cricket in Sri Lanka. It will make it easier to do the job.'

The England squad were at Edgbaston to be given a free Hub computer, which will allow them to do anything on tour from checking the racing results at home to analysing video footage of the opposition.

It was a rather happier appointment for Stewart than last week's, when he was summoned to meet Sir Paul Condon, head of the ICC's anti-corruption unit. He said: 'I'm not allowed to disclose what was discussed but it was a pleasant enough chat.

'I ' ve told him that I will co-operate fully but I hope that it will not be necessary to see him again. We will have to wait and see.'

The match-fixing allegation, which surfaced in November, transformed Stewart from an extrovert tourist into a near-recluse, venturing from his room only to the cricket ground or the hotel restaurant.

He did not look like a man relishing life on the road which, at 37, prompted speculation that Pakistan could be his last tour.

The fact that the next one after Sri Lanka is to India could be another disincentive, but he insists that no decision has been made.

'It's true that for the last couple of years I have said that my aim has been to play in the Ashes series this summer,' he said. 'That has not changed, but I have definitely not made myself unavailable for anything. I will reassess things later in the summer.

'I'm looking forward to Sri Lanka. I've only been there briefly once and my main memory is of how hot it was and having to change my batting gloves about every four overs.

'Although the heat can be very uncomfortable I think it will be a good place to tour. I don't think people should assume we've done the easy bit. Their record at home with Mural-itharan bowling is outstanding.

'It was great to be involved in the end at Karachi. It was just a shame we didn't have more than a couple of hours there to savour it before flying out. There's only so much celebrating you can do with lemonade but we had a good time on our way home at Dubai airport.'

Yesterday the players were involved for a couple of hours learning about their new machines and exchanging tales of time off over Christmas.

While Stewart has been a regular visitor to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea matches, one subject to cause amusement was captain Nasser Hussain making the draw for the FA Cup fourth round and managing to give his own team Leeds a tough tie against Liverpool.

On January 1 Hussain was invited as a guest to Elland Road, but could not go because he was snowed in at home. And he thought the New Year was going to bring a change of luck.