While the Aussies frantically toil to find some form ahead of the third Ashes Test, the England team have been taking a rather more relaxed approach to their preparations this week.
In aid of three of English cricket's foremost charities, The Lord's Taverners, Chance to Shine and the PCA Benevolent Fund, the boys were tasked with drawing portraits of each other. Cricket fans can bid for the original portraits here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/CricketUnited/m.html
Here's what they come up with...
Best mates James Anderson and Graeme Swann show off their artistic flair.
Alastair Cook - 7 Given the circus of hype surrounding the series and in particular the pressure of continuing Andrew Strauss' recent success in Ashes cricket, captain Cook could have been forgiven a nervous performance at Trent Bridge. Yet despite only scoring 13 in the first innings, he came back to score a vital half-century in the second and rescue his side from another early collapse.
As captain he continued his legacy as a calm and conservative operator despite having to manage his team through one of the most frenetic Test matches in recent years. He was also a dab hand with DRS.
Joe Root - 5 Undone by a peach in England's first innings and victim of a contentious decision in the second, Root was unlucky not to make a bigger contribution in his first outing as an England opener. He did however chip in with the ball, bagging Ed Cowan on the stroke of tea on day four to help spark a middle order collapse in the evening session.
Jonathan Trott - 6 Top scorer in England's first innings, he cruised to within two runs of a half-century only to throw his wicket away wafting loosely outside his offstump. He was, however, unlucky to be out LBW in his second outing, replays showing that the Warwickshire strokemaker got a healthy chunk of willow on the ball before it crashed into his pads.
www.guardian.co.uk
Kevin Pietersen - 6 A gritty 64 from 150 balls in the second innings made up for failure on the first morning and helped create something of a platform for Ian Bell. A gutsy knock in his first Test back after injury.
Ian Bell - 9 An important innings in so many ways, Bell's century proved to be one of the key differences between the two sides. Constructed in masterly fashion over days three and four, Bell took a conscious decision to avoid playing in the hallowed "V" and instead looked to nudge, nurdle and deflect the ball around the field, steadily accumulating runs and helping to nullify any Aussie pressure. Having already seen batsmen on both sides deceived by the slow and unpredictable nature of the surface, Bell's battle plan was little short of a masterstroke.
Jonny Bairstow - 6 Runs in both innings, he played the game at a good tempo and provided able support for Ian Bell on day three. His eagerness to play across the line of ball though continues to be his undoing.
Matt Prior - 6 Deservedly out for 0 first time out, he redeemed himself in part second time around with a useful counter-attacking display to help shift momentum England's way. Generally tidy behind the stumps he was also instrumental in England's effective use of the referral system.
Stuart Broad - 7 An impressive allround performance from Broad, he bowled with fire and accuracy to bag three vital Aussie scalps while also recording his highest Ashes score with the bat. A feisty and ultra-competitive performer, his decision not to walk in the second innings underlined the arrogance and self-belief that has helped him become a mainstay in England's ranks over the years.
Graeme Swann - 6 Four wickets in the match was not a bad return for England's jovial tweaker, but he never looked completely settled and struggled with his lengths in Australia's second innings. Steven Finn - 4 Two wickets in two balls on the first evening remained Finn's only highlight as he was carted around by the Aussie batsman in both innings. Replaced before in an Ashes series, he looks unlikely to feature at his home ground on Thursday. James Anderson - 10 A masterly display of conventional and reverse swing bowling, no one deserved the man of match award more than Anderson. Bowling almost 56 overs for figures of 10 for 158, he showed craft, control and endurance of the highest order to help keep his side in the contest throughout.
England 215 and 80 for 2 (Cook 37*, Pietersen 35*) lead Australia 280 (Agar 98, Hughes 81*, Anderson 5-85) by 15 runs 19-year-old débutante Ashton Agar was the star of day two as he and Phil Hughes put on a world record tenth wicket partnership to keep the first Ashes Test firmly in the balance. Agar joined Hughes at the crease with the score 117 for 9 and went on to share a 163-run partnership that saw Australia surpass England's total and give the tourists a first innings lead of 65. The Aussie teenager was eventually dismissed two runs shy of a debut hundred, spooning a short pitched ball to a grateful Graeme Swann in the deep. The damage had been done though and the entire Trent Bridge crowd rose to their feet in recognition of a truly remarkable innings.
www.cricinfo.com The day's early exchanges though had all belonged to England. On what looked like an ideal day for batting, Steve Smith (53) threw away the chance to build on his good work the night before when he drove loosely at Anderson and edged to Matt Prior. Another followed shortly after when Swann found some prodigious turn to bowl Brad Haddin (1) just two balls into his knock. Seven balls later and Anderson bagged his second of the morning courtesy of Peter Siddle's (1) outside edge and Prior's exceptional dexterity. Two overs later and Mitchell Starc (0) also succumbed to Anderson's spell, feathering an angled delivery through to the England wicketkeeper to give the Burnley Express a richly deserved five wicket haul. Swann then made it nine down trapping James Pattinson plumb in front for two. But Agar had other ideas, and with the help of Hughes was able to carve out an exquisite Test match innings worthy of any top order batsman. Solid in defence and clinical in attack, Agar hit 11 fours and two sixes on his way to a 101-ball 98, eclipsing Tino Best's 95 against England at Edgbaston last summer to record the highest ever score by a number 11 batsman. Taking inspiration from their new team mate's extraordinary innings, the Australian bowlers then went about consolidating their favourable position in 7.3 overs before tea. Joe Root was first to go, edging Starc down the legside for 5, and the very next ball Jonathan Trott was on his way after the Aussies successfully overturned an LBW shout. Controversy followed shortly after as it emerged that the third umpire had overruled Aleem Dar's decision despite not being able to view Hotspot from the crucial side-on angle as the technology had been cued to show Root's dismissal down the leg side. Slow motion replays indicated that Trott may well have hit the ball before it rapped his pads. The ECB has since requested clarification from the ICC about the decision.
www.cricinfo.com As the day began to come to a close Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen restored some sanity to proceedings grinding out the remaining overs to leave England 80 for 2 at the close, 15 runs ahead.
Australia 75 for 4 (Smith 38*, Hughes 7*) trail England 215 (Trott 48, Bairstow 37, Siddle 5-50, Pattinson 3-69) by 140 runs Steven Finn and James Anderson took two wickets each in the final session to spare the host's blushes after England were bowled out on the first day's play at Trent Bridge. Finn bagged Shane Watson and Ed Cowan in consecutive balls and James Anderson prised out the captain Michael Clarke and opener Chris Rogers to leave the visitors 75-4 at the close of play.
cricinfo.com The day began with the news that Australia had chosen to hand a debut to 19-year-old left arm spinner Ashton Agar. The Sri Lankan-born bowler replacing Nathan Lyon as Australia's only specialist spin option. There were no selection surprises in the England camp however with Joe Root given the nod at the top of the order and Finn retaining his place in the side ahead of Tim Bresnan.
There were no surprises too when Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat first on what looked like a slow, dry wicket. Clarke was not completely disheartened though as a cloudy Nottinghamshire skyline suggested his bowlers could have something to work with in the morning session. And, after a nervy few overs, he was right. James Pattinson made the first breakthrough luring Cook (13) into a woft outside his offstump before Peter Siddle mopped up Root (30) with an exquisite inswinging yorker. Trott though looked in fine touch, finding the boundary on numerous occasions in the opening hour-and-a-half, and, alongside Kevin Pietersen, was able to guide England to a respectable 98 for 2 at lunch. However, after lunch it was all Australia, or, more specifically, Peter Siddle. The Victorian's first victim Kevin Pietersen (14) playing a little too far outside his offstump and edging tamely to Clarke in the slips. Next came Trott (48), who, within sight of his half-century, briefly lost his composure to drag a wide Siddle delivery back onto his stumps. Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow staged a mini fightback, but when Siddle returned for his second spell Bell (25) too fell pray to the fired up seamer. In his next over he made it five when Prior (1), trying to force the pace, attempted an expansive cut into the offside, only to find the grateful hands of Phil Hughes at point. England went in for tea tottering on 185 for 6.
www.cricinfo.com After tea things got little better for the hosts. Fleeting resistance from Stuart Broad came to an end when he top edged back to Pattinson for 24, and when Bairstow (37) and Finn (0) were dismissed in consecutive deliveries by a resurgent Mitchell Starc it was all but over for England. Ten balls later and it was. England all out for 215.
England fought back in the evening session to take four Australian wickets, but with brighter weather forecast for tomorrow Cook's men may well not be out the woods yet.
England spearhead James Anderson has agreed to be an executive producer for the upcoming Warriors documentary. Jimmy broke the news live on BBC Radio 5 Live and the Today Programme on Radio 4. The groundbreaking documentaryfollows a group of young Maasai from a remote region of Kenya who have formed a cricket team to help educate and unite their community. A deeply traditional tribe, the Maasai are male-dominated and women have few rights - even over their own bodies. Subsequently HIV is rife and many now believe the future of the Maasai is under threat. The Warriors cricket team aims to utilise their new-found unity to inspire members of their own tribe, and to change some of the harmful traditions that jeopardise the future of their own children. The Warriors' ultimate ambition is to travel to England and play in the Last Man Stands World Championships. The tournament is set to kick off in August 2013, with the opening ceremony being held at Lords.
"There are so many messages the game can give," Anderson told espncrinfo.com. "Getting 11 random guys and getting them to work together, even though they might not get on and may be from very different walks of life, just shows how you can work with different people."
"Cricket has always been tagged as the gentleman's sport," Anderson said. "That's definitely still there. The game has changed and has probably become more competitive. Maybe there isn't as much camaraderie between opposition teams any more. But the respect all players from all countries still have for the game is still there and it is never going to die out."
BBC Test Match Special dedicated a programme to the Warriors, with Graeme Swann interviewing Jimmy about his involvement, and Jonathan Agnew speaking to director Barney Douglas about the project. Check it out below... If you are interested in getting involved in the project, you can find out more by visiting:
The England selectors today named a 12-man squad for the third Investec Test against West Indies commencing Thursday 7 June at Edgbaston.
Paceman James Anderson is the only omission from the squad selected for the two previous encounters of the series.
Anderson received treatment during the course of the second Test for a minor quad problem and it has been decided missing the final clash will give the 29-year-old an opportunity to overcome several minor injuries.
England won the second Test by nine wickets at Trent Bridge to move into an unassailable lead, having emerged victorious in the first game at Lord’s by five wickets. Preparations for the series finale will begin at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
National Selector Geoff Miller said: “We have been made to work hard for our two victories so far and are delighted to have secured the series, but we know that we will need to continue to play some good cricket if we want a third win against West Indies this week.
“James Anderson will miss this Investec Test as we look to manage his workload ahead of a busy period of cricket this summer and beyond, a decision which is in the best interests of the team and James himself.”
England squad for the third Investec Test:
Andrew Strauss (Middlesex, captain) Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire) Ian Bell (Warwickshire) Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire) Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire) Alastair Cook (Essex) Steven Finn (Middlesex) Graham Onions (Durham) Kevin Pietersen (Surrey) Matt Prior (Sussex, wicketkeeper) Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire) Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)
It has been an intriguing twelve months for Test cricket. Amid fears for the health and longevity of the game’s premier format, 2011 churned up some of the most exciting and hotly contested cricket in recent years. England destroyed almost everyone in their path on the way to becoming world number one, Australia and South Africa shared the spoils in perhaps the greatest two match series ever, Sri Lanka won their first Test in South Africa, and India and the West Indies helped record only the second ever scores level draw in the history of Test match cricket. And that really is just the beginning.
In and amongst such drama though was of course plenty of individual brilliance and with the 2012 now finally underway it seems only appropriate to indulge my inner schoolboy and compile my ultimate Test XI for 2011.
Are you in agreement?
Alastair Cook 927 runs at 84.27. Without a doubt the stand out batsman of 2011, Alastair Cook has gone from strength to strength since his extraordinary end to 2010. He began the year by adding a magnificent 189 in the final Ashes Test in Sydney to take his series total to a mammoth 766 runs before notching up a further 390 runs in three Tests against Sri Lanka including two centuries and a 96. If that was not enough, Cook rounded off his landmark year by crafting a career best 296 against India as he helped England ascend to number one in the world.
Rahul Dravid 1145 runs at 57.25. One of only two batsmen to score over 1000 runs in 2011 Dravid succeeded where many of his Indian colleagues failed. A match-winning century against the West Indies in Jamaica in June was only to be outdone by three back-to-the-wall hundreds in England as he proved himself to be a class above the rest of India’s old boys.
Hashim Amla 423 runs at 47.00. A curious choice perhaps with the likes of Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar not included despite boasting more prolific records, but Amla’s performances, especially against Australia, earn him a deserved place. A 195 run partnership with captain Graeme Smith in the first Test in Cape Town proved his calmness under pressure after both teams had been dismissed for less than 100 runs in previous innings, and despite losing the second Test in Johannesburg Amla’s five and a half hour 105 in the second innings ensured that the match went down to the wire. A man for the big occasion no doubt.
Kumar Sangakkara 1034 runs at 49.23. The number one Test match batsman according to the ICC Test rankings and the second most prolific run-getter in 2011 Kumar Sangakkara continued to demonstrate his class against the world’s best. Sri Lanka plied their trade against stiff opposition in 2011, travelling to England and South Africa as well hosting Australia and playing Pakistan in the UAE. However, despite only one Test victory all year Sangakkara emerged as imperious as ever bagging three hundreds and a double ton to help his team remain competitive throughout.
Ian Bell 950 runs at 118.75. Rid of his boyish insecurities Ian Bell has flourished into a Test match batsman of unrivalled class. Always stylish but not always prolific, Bell’s hunger for runs has made him into a seriously effective cricketer. A maiden Ashes hundred at Sydney was followed by two unbeaten centuries against Sri Lanka, before a gorgeous 159 against world champions India at Trent Bridge. His defining innings though came in the final Test of the summer. Batting at number three in place of the injured Jonathan Trott, Bell scored a magisterial 235 to help England complete another innings victory and seal a 4-0 series whitewash. Sheer class!
Darren Bravo 949 runs at 49.94. Lofty comparisons with cousin Brian Lara are perhaps a little premature, but there is no doubting that if the West Indies are to return as a genuine force in world cricket then the continued success of Darren Bravo is paramount. Having to wait nine Test matches before recording his first century Bravo eventually reached three figures in style bagging a greedy 195 against Bangladesh this October. Two further centuries quickly followed against India, his total haul of 214 in Mumbai proving pivotal in a famous score draw.
Matt Prior 519 runs at 64.87, 34 catches, two stumpings. It has been a career-defining couple of years for Matt Prior who, provided Sangakkara doesn’t decide to re-don the gloves, now stands as arguably the world’s best keeper-batsman. Batting at number seven, Prior’s selfless attitude to batting and willingness to marshal an admittedly very capable tail has made him an indispensable part of the England set up. A century in all three of England’s Test series in 2011 only represents a fraction of his contribution.
Stuart Broad 33 wickets at 22.30, 239 runs at 39.83. Having missed most of England’s tour of Australia through injury and with the emergence of Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett as his replacements during that victorious Ashes campaign there was at least a smidgen of pressure on Stuart Broad to hit his straps in 2011, and that he did. In four Tests against India Broad averaged over 60 with the bat as well as taking mammoth 25 wickets at an average of just 13.84.
Dale Steyn 28 wickets at 19.57. Still undoubtedly the world’s most consistent and potent fast bowler, Dale Steyn had yet another year to remember in 2011. Steyn took five wickets or more in all five of South Africa’s Test matches last year, which included bouts with India, Australia and Sri Lanka. His battle with Sachin Tendulkar in Cape Town perhaps the year’s greatest cricketing confrontation.
Saeed Ajmal 50 wickets at 23.86. The leading wicket taker in 2011 Saeed Ajmal helped Pakistan complete a year of much-needed consolidation after continued controversy throughout 2010. His best haul of 11 wickets came in a losing cause against the West Indies, but he went on to lead the attack and help his team to victories over Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Sterner tests await in 2012, however with an as-yet unseen “mystery ball” ready to be unleashed the world’s top teams will have to treat him with respect.
James Anderson 35 wickets at 24.85. Now officially the spearhead of the England attack, James Anderson hardly bowled a bad ball in 2011. Seven wickets at Sydney capped off an exceptional Ashes series for The Burnley Express, and after a steady couple of outings against Sri Lanka Anderson once again turned on the magic taking 21 wickets against India in four Tests and terrorising Sachin Tendulkar with a master class in swing bowling.
After an astonishing climax to last week’s second, and regrettably final, Test between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers, and an equally enthralling finale to the drawn Test match between India and the West Indies, a common and frankly unsettling debate has once again bubbled to the surface: is Test cricket really dying? On the evidence of that historic day in Johannesburg or those final moments in Mumbai certainly not, but aside from these extraordinary, yet increasingly rare, moments of clarity in which the future of Test cricket looks safely intact, the situation is otherwise rather more uncertain.
Exposure
One thing that perhaps all cricket fans and commentators can agree on is that there is too much cricket. As the only major Test playing nation in the northern hemisphere it is perhaps an issue more familiar to those who follow English cricket, but with the influx of the unnecessarily long IPL and a multitude of television commitments to adhere to it is a concern for cricket the world over. Most saddening is that Test cricket suffers more than most.
What people fail to realise is that Test cricket is completely and utterly unique from all other forms of cricket. The skills shown in a Twenty20 are not likely to offer much in a Test match, and whilst the 50 over game mirrors Test match batting more adequately, the defensive and restrictive nature of bowling often found in a one day game does little to prepare a bowler for the rigours of a five day match.
"We do play too much cricket and if something had to give my choice would be 50-over cricket, or make it 40-over cricket or something.” Graeme Swann
A greater focus on limited overs cricket does almost nothing to support Test cricket and its increasing presence on the world stage may well be slowly bringing the game’s legendary format to its knees. Knocking 40 off 30 balls or bowling ten overs in a day is so far removed from the intensity of Test cricket that it is no surprise that interest in the game appears to have waned. Players regularly turn up undercooked and often cannot complete a Test match because they’re exposure to ‘tough’ cricket has been so infrequent.
For cricket as a sport to succeed and remain an entertaining and enthralling battle between bat and ball Test cricket must remain at the helm. Test cricket serves as the benchmark for all other cricketing ventures. It teaches bowlers to work out their opponents, how to bowl aggressively and to savour an opponent’s wicket. It tests a batsman’s technique, temperament and ability to protect their wicket at all times. These are treasured and essential skills in cricket; skills that if Test cricket was to lose its authority would soon find themselves absent from the game and would ultimately destroy the very fabric of the sport.
Competition
In order for Test cricket to reclaim its rightful place at the top of the sport it must more than anything else remain competitive. This does not necessarily mean ensuring a result after five days, a draw is often the fairest outcome and saving a Test match can be riveting viewing, but ensuring that along the way there is an even and exciting battle between bat and ball and that ultimately those players who step out on the field are tested.
One obvious tweak is to produce more interesting wickets. Clearly the surface must be safe and ideally last four or five days, but watching batsmen (usually Indian’s in India) churn out scores of 500 plus every innings, bagging a century each in the process, is just plain boring. Cricket’s old boys are forever harping on about a lack of fast bowling talent and genuine world class wicket takers, yet whilst we do not wish to gift bowler’s wickets they don’t deserve, one reason for such complaints may not be simply a lack of talent but rather the sheer volume of cricket and the unresponsive surfaces on which it is played.
"In the English summer the pitches had a little bit in them for the bowlers but if you bat well enough you can score big runs which we did. Organisers are going to want five days of cricket for the gate receipts but at the same time people want to see exciting cricket so the pitches need to be result pitches." James Anderson
Crucially competitive wickets attract that rare breed of fan – the neutral. Sure any England fan doesn’t mind watching the Aussies loose by an innings and 50 runs, but to a South African such a one-sided result offers little in the way of unbiased entertainment. Rewind to 2005 and you find a series that encapsulated the entire cricketing community. Why? Because the series was played on a knife edge. So thrilling was the narrative that even non-cricket fans found themselves glued to the television or queuing for miles outside Lords just to get a taste of the action.
What was unique about that series however, and in fact every other series between England and Australia, was its context, something clearly devoid from almost all non-Ashes cricket. Take the English Premier League. Its competitive nature and increasing rivalries between clubs and their fans keeps this multi-million pound industry thriving year after year. Cricket does not have this. The news that the planned Test Championship, that would see the top eight Test playing nations compete against one another in a knockout style competition, is to be postponed until at least 2017 is certainly tragic but its conception alone (which I applaud) suggests something is rotten in Test match cricket.
James Anderson expects a tough test next year as England look to maintain there position as the world's premier Test nation. England begin their 2012 campaign against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in January before travelling to Sri Lanka for a two-test series
England have never played a match in Middle East and Anderson believes the key to success will be to adapt quickly to conditions.
"Pakistan played Sri Lanka over there recently and played really well and won the series," Anderson told ESPNcricinfo. "They're used to those conditions now but we've never played a Test match over there so it will be a new challenge for us and we'll see how we cope with that.
"We've had challenges before. We went to Australia and won there, so we'll be confident. We'll look to see how we're going to take 20 wickets because that will be difficult and crucial for us; the spinners might play a big part"
Anderson, along with fellow seamers Graeme Onions and Chris Tremlett, will head out to join the England performance squad in South Africa for a training camp prior to the Test series.
"It's been our goal to become number one in the world and we've got there sooner than we thought we would," he said. "Next year is going to be really tough for us. Getting to No. 1 is one thing but staying there is a completely different task."
Over the past two decades cricket has been blessed with a handful of truly extraordinary performers. Yet it seems that as we enter the second decade of the new millennium that these once-in-a-generation superstars are now all but absent from our beloved game. Gone are Warne and McGrath, Ambrose and Walsh, Hayden and Langer and in their place a new breed of cricketer, the modern day allrounder.
Now don't be fooled. This new crop of talent are not, perhaps regretably, all budding Ian Bothams, Imran Khans, or, dare I say it, Andrew Flintoffs. They are not extroverts, nor sticklers for controversy, but rather normal, law-abiding professionals whose exploits tend to remain on the back rather than the front pages of the now presumably disinterested press. They are however slowly paving the way for a new era in international cricket, and one I'm happy to say is being led by the English.
So, what is this new 'all-rounder' I speak of? Well, in the absence of what Geoffrey Boycott would call truly 'great players', and with international cricket now played regularly across three different formats, cricketers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to diversify beyond the confines of their chosen specialty if they are to remain a permanent fixture in their team. This, as was evident with the Indian team this summer, is a mantra more readily embraced by some nations than others.
The hard truth is that unless you bowl at 95 mph, average over 50 runs per innings or turn the ball both ways then you can no longer rely on your primary trade, be it batting, bowling or wicketkeeping, to keep you in cricket's elite.
As the world's premier test nation, Ashes holders and World Twenty20 champions, England, it seems, have bought into this new philosophy of utility cricket more than most. Having watched with great interest, and at times a surprising amount of jubilation, England's ascent to the peak of the game ever since the disastrous series in the Caribbean in early 2009, I think it now time to reflect on why England's band of multi-talented cricketers have got this far.
Lead by example
If asked who more than most was responsible for England's rise to the top few would give Peter Moores any real consideration. Yet whilst his tenure as England coach may have been marred by scandal leading to his eventual dismissal in early 2009, he was to make one decision that would prove pivotal to England's subsequent success - Andy Flower.
Having employed Flower as batting coach at the national academy in 2005, Moores went on to appoint him his assistant when he took charge of the England team some two years later. While Moores' impact as a coach may have been generally uninspiring, his recognition of Flower's talents would be crucial to England's longevity as a top flight team. Taking over temporarily after Moores' departure, Flower eventually agreed to take the job full time, and despite a sticky start in the Caribbean England has never looked back since.
Alongside Andrew Strauss, Flower has taken an approach quite unique from that of his predecessors. With little support from cricket's 'old boys' he has set about creating a squad of professionals whose value is measured by their all-round performance rather than a player's reputation; a welcome departure from the narrow-mindedness that haunted England after the 2005 Ashes.
It is an approach that no doubt stems from his own experience as a cricketer. A world class wicket-keeper batsman and also national captain not too long ago, England's 'team director' knows full well the importance of cricketers who can contribute beyond their primary trade, and after nearly three years in charge his work is starting to pay off. England's bowlers now field better than almost entire sub-continental teams, Prior has elevated himself to perhaps the best wicket keeper batsman in the world (now Sanga has hung up his gloves) and England no longer have any genuine tail-enders. Flower has not only hand-picked a world-beating side but has developed an effective and lasting ethos that could see England at the top of the international game for many years to come.
Staying in shape
One of the marked changes to English cricket under Andy Flower has been to make cricketers into athletes. Over the years and largely thanks to exercise-resistant commentators like Sir Ian and Lord Gower, there has been an ongoing debate as to whether cricketers are perhaps over-trained. With new dietary regimes, team building weekends and even in-house psychologists many of cricket's stodgy elite have rubbished England's decidedly alcohol-free approach to match preparation. Once again though they couldn't be more wrong!
With the help of fitness fanatic Graham Gooch, Flower has created a team of lean and powerful cricketers whose physical prowess has been a deciding factor in recent times. Even Australia, whose penchant for fitness has been at the heart of their success for years, had to tip their hat to England this winter as they were made to toil in the heat for days on end as the likes of Cook and Trott pilled on the runs. Meanwhile the likes of Broad and Anderson had their feet up on the balcony fresh to rip through the Aussies as and when England decided they'd had enough.
Even against India this summer, who on paper looked a fine match for the home side, England's stamina and focus ultimately proved the deciding factor between the two teams. Indian players were sent home injured and England never took their foot off the pedal. Whilst fitness levels may only give a team an extra five per cent in a one day match (India's love-affair: IPL), over the course of Test series teams can find themselves quickly out of touch with their rivals if they are not physically prepared.
England though are cautious not to expect too much from their players, and whilst they firmly believe that players who contribute to all areas of the game are truly valuable commodities, they also understand that, especially considering English cricket's jam-packed schedule, it is not realistic to expect the same eleven players to perform at the same level all the time. As a result England management have introduced the strengthening and conditioning programme, giving players the opportunity to rest their bodies and to work on their core fitness for when they return to the team. Another example of staunch traditionalists eating their words the programme has been and continues to be a resounding success, and the resting of players like Steven Finn, James Anderson and Kevin Pietersen has helped England keep key players fresh and develop new and exciting prospects, especially in the longer form of the game.
Team Spirit
England more than most are a team who want to do things for each other. They enjoy one another's success and they work as a team. Whereas Andrew Flintoff tried to (and often did) do everything himself this current England team whilst brilliant individuals combine to create a truly all-round team motivated not just by their own performance but by the efforts of others.
Never does an England player in a post-match interview heap the praise on himself. Whilst it may be dull for those writing about the team, each and every player always takes time to congratulate the team effort and to express their delight that, despite having taken five wickets themselves, it is all the better only for the overall team performance. There is a sense of democracy about England at the moment. There is no great void between younger and older players, or one player propping up the team all the time, instead each player recognises that they can make a contribution and crucially that, however small, that contribution is valued.
To be an 'all-round team' a feeling of togetherness is essential, this means both on and off the field. Freddie's pedalo for example may have found England cricketers pushing the boat out a little too far in their spare time, but a few years later and Graeme Swann's Ashes diary seemed to have quite the opposite effect. Providing a hilarious but also encouraging insight into the England team's after hours shenanigans Swann's tapes revealed a team enjoying each other's company and a team spririt that has helped England team become the epitome of modern day all-rounders.
Steven Finn was named as the ICC's Emerging Player of the Year 2010 at the annual awards ceremony in Bengaluru, India after an impressive maiden year in Test cricket.
Having only made his debut in March of this year against Bangladesh, called up to replace the injured Graeme Onions, Finn has made a lasting impact on the England team this summer taking 32 wickets at an average of 23.21 including consecutive five wicket hauls at Lords and Old Trafford in May and June.
On the docile pitches of the sub-continent he showed a level of patience well beyond his years and was duly rewarded a first home cap in the return series against the Tigers two months later. Finn's impact was instantaneous, carrying the England bowling display in the first Test at Lords with figures of 4 for 100 in the first innings, going one better in the second innings leading the attack to claim his first five wicket haul, finishing the match with a tally of 9 wickets and a first Man of the Match award in Test cricket. His award was a testament to the hard work and determination shown by the young fast bowler sending down a titanic 49 overs all together in back to back innings.
In a less attritional affair at Old Trafford Finn proved equally affective. With Bangladesh following on once again it took a mere 10 overs for Finn to extract five Bangladeshi batsman and secure an innings victory for his team. His performances in the two match series earned him his first Man of the Series Award and was enough to put Finn as odds on favourite to board the plane to Australia come November.
A further flurry of wickets in the first two Test matches against Pakistan affirmed his place in the England eleven and consequently his nomination for the award.
Finn beat Australia's Tim Paine, Pakistan's Umar Akmal, and Sri Lanka's Angelo Matthews to the title that was awarded to Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
Graeme Swann and James Anderson were also included in the Test Team of the Year, and Paul Collingwood and Stuart Broad selected in the One Day Team of Year.
Swann, who was also nominated for the Player of the Year Award picked up by Sachin Tendulkar, played 10 Test matches within the period under consideration for the award, between August 24, 2009, and August 10, 2010, claiming 49 wickets at an average of 27.55. Anderson notching up 41 wickets in two less matches at 22.53.
Interestingly had the consideration period been more accommodating to the English season and accounted for the final two Test matches between England and Pakistan, Swann would have taken 16 more wickets at an improved average of 23.72. His figures against Pakistan reading four matches, 22 wickets at 12.22! Quite amazing when you also consider he was initially overlooked in the preliminary shortlist, only added when the ECB voiced there bewilderment at his absence!
A successful year for England's limited overs team that included series wins over Australia and away to South Africa could not be ignored and it was Stuart Broad and Paul Collingwood who broke into the One Day Team of the Year for 2010.
Broad, who has been ever present for England in all forms of cricket this year featured in 19 competitive one day matches taking 37 wickets at an average of 24.45, including 10 wickets in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.
Collingwood who again has been a regular feature in all England ventures this past year, racked up 24 matches in coloured clothes, averaging 47 with the bat and picking up 12 wickets. His performances on the tour of South Africa stood out in particular, hitting an unbeaten 105 at Centurion and averaging a colossal 91.66 in the four match series in which England triumphed 2-1, also claiming the Player of the Series Award after the final match was washed out.
