WE had a team meeting on Monday at Hampshire where a few honest words were said about the situation the team is in after our loss to Yorkshire last week.

In the end we lost by an innings and 22 runs in that game, after being bowled out on the last day, and it was a massive disappointment.

We just didn’t perform over the course of the game, especially in our second innings, and it’s been a bit of a recurring problem for us in four-day cricket this season.

The loss means that it is now crunch time for us and the next few games are make-or-break for us, starting with the current game at Nottinghamshire, which we know won’t be easy.

I batted quite well in the second innings to make 50 runs and it was good to play myself into a bit of form and spend time at the crease.

I didn’t bowl in the game although I wouldn’t have minded. I spoke to Dimi a couple of times but he’s the captain and I respect that.

I said last week how Basingstoke, where we played, was a typical club wicket but there is no blame on the pitch for the result, we let ourselves down.

We’re second from bottom in the Championship table so all we are playing for is to avoid relegation and we have five games left to do that.

We have just signed the Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis for the 2010 season and we don’t want to be playing Division Two cricket with him in the side.

I’ve seen bits of him on TV and he’s a real threat so it’s a fantastic signing for the club. He’s extremely different but has made international cricketers look like fools and it shows what Rod Bransgrove wants to achieve at the club.

Imran Tahir saved us last season and has bowled well this year without taking as many wickets. I’m sure he’ll be back for the 2011 season.

We were given the weekend off and were told to get away from cricket and refresh ourselves for the important six weeks ahead.

I’m not sure how the Trent Bridge pitch will play but I made my debut first class hundred here last season, which was a fantastic feeling, so hopefully I can do that again.