UK News
Insights from the UK and beyond
from Left field:
Strauss’s side still not England’s best
By John Mehaffey
According to International Cricket Council statistician David Kendix's calculations, three England sides before Andrew Strauss's present team would have topped the test world rankings too if the current format had existed.
In reverse chronological order, they are Mike Brearley's side of 1979-80, Ray Illingworth's 1970-3 team and the 1955-9 squad led first by Len Hutton then Peter May.
Brearley's side had the young Ian Botham in his athletic prime when he scythed through opposition sides with quick late swing.
The opposition, though, did not that at stage include the best Australian and West Indies sides who had contracted to play for Kerry Packer's World Series. England's 5-1 Ashes win in Australia in 1978-9 was against a virtual second XI.
from Left field:
English cricket celebrates a coming of age
England's cricketers wrapped up a 3-1 series victory against Australia in Sydney on Friday and held aloft the little Ashes urn for the first time in 24 years on Australian soil.
They should enjoy the moment. It has been hard earned and a long time in coming. The taste of success will be sweet and should be savoured after so much hurt and torment at the hands of the great Australian sides of the last 20 years.
-
The Wall
