CRICKET
England lost the final of the NatWest one-day series by seven wickets to an Australian side which finally looks to be finding its feet ahead of the first Test proper at Lords. The selectors have dropped a disappointed Ian Thorpe in favour of Kevin Pietersen who has yet to confirm his brilliant form during the winter tour of South Africa. Success over the current world champions will depend heavily, not only on his undoubted talent, but also on England’s opening batsmen who have been prone to collapse in recent games. If Strauss, Trescothick and Vaughan manage to rack up the kind of run totals they are capable of, England stand a realistic chance of upsetting the tourists to claim the Ashes for the first time since the 1986/’87 season.
