Archives for August 2011

England's 4-0 thrashing of India was a true team triumph, with just about everyone chipping in along the way.

The batsmen scored their “daddy” hundreds, the bowlers took 20 wickets over and over again, and Graeme Swann even got to unveil his new celebration after a match-winning performance on the final day at The Oval.

But inevitably, there were those whose stars shone brighter than others, and one or two who have a little work to put in before the winter tours.

Here are my player ratings. Have a read, then jump in with some of your own.

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The rags to riches story of England’s rise from the bottom to the top of the world rankings features plenty of big-name stars but the roles of several supporting actors should not be overlooked.

Captain Andrew Strauss, his team-mates and coach Andy Flower have received most of the plaudits, while many have noted the importance of former coach Duncan Fletcher and ex-skipper Michael Vaughan in steering England towards the summit.

But over the past decade or so, several other figures have played fundamental roles in helping transform England into an ultra-professional winning machine.

Here are five of English cricket’s many unsung heroes.

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