Following the success and massive growth of Cricket in England this year, The Guardian has gone ahead and started writing brief stories and synopsis about the members of the England cricketing team, starting with these 4 players who they consider the heart and most central to the team's heroics.
Richard Head
All-rounder: RHB, LMF, England captain
Born: 4/11/1977 (23yrs old) in Nottingham
Has been playing cricket since he was 5yrs old, got scouted by The ECB at youth trials when he was 11, and has been touted as the backbone and future star ever since. Got a Master's degree in Sports Psychology from UoN via a scholarship paid for by the ECB. Very mature for his age as well as having a very astute cricketing brain on his shoulders, he uses his degree to promote and lead a calming and freeing dressing room environment to get the best out of the group of lads around him. In addition to continually pushing for better pathways and grassroots coaching to get more players into the game and works closely with the ECB to try and put these things in place.
Massive Nottingham Forest fan and likes to listen to Queen and Abba or read old novels when not involved in sport.
Married at 21 and he and his wife are expecting their first child in early December.
Alex Vixen
Spin bowler: LHB, SLO, England Vice Captain
Born:10/6/1976 (25yrs old) in Gillingham
Had a rough upbringing after both his parents were laid off when the docks and Naval base closed down. Had to start picking up odd jobs here and there to help his parents and 3 younger siblings make ends meet. Was at one of these jobs in a sporting goods shop where he first learned about cricket but he didn't think too much of it at first. However, after scraping together a pass in his English and Maths GCSEs he dropped out of school. Still in financial trouble though, Alex walked past a flyer about a Cricket camp being put on in Beckenham and that there was some well-paid work to be had so he cobbled together what money he could and got a train in. While working at a stall and keeping the place tidy, he got asked to throw down a few balls which eventually turned to him bowling some impressive off breaks the coaches running the program immediately offered him a deal, and from then on it was history. Due to Alex’s grit, determination, and resourcefulness, he was appointed as England’s VC ahead of the 2001 season.
Is a big player of Golf as well as Cricket and also a devout Christian.
Alex got engaged this summer between the Morocco and Japan series
William George Charles
Middle Order Batter, RHB, Star Batter
Born:25/11/1982 (18yrs old) in Windsor
William’s sporting potential has been seen for a long time ever since his time at Lambrook preparatory school which he joined aged 3 due to his family’s generational wealth which dates back to the 1700s and his godparents are the Astor’s. After leaving Lambrook he joined Eton where he excelled at sports playing Hockey, Polo, Football, Rugby, cross-country, Golf and Cricket to a high level. At 18 he received many offers from sporting associations for scholarships to the top universities including Oxbridge. However, he was so blown away by the ECB’s proposal and potential to be the leading light in a new cricketing revolution that he decided to skip Uni and instead join the England team immediately.
William is a young slightly hot-headed maverick of a player who craves the limelight. His talent is doubtless and virtually unlimited, especially for such a young person but he is also very committed to his craft working extremely hard to make everything in his game better by using the latest in sports science.
William still keeps up with the sports he used to play recreationally and is a big Arsenal fan and goes into his family’s box at Highbury when he can.
Zachary Wilson
Born: 29/10/1979 (21yrs old) in Boston
Zachary was born to farmers around the Boston area and grew up working hard hours on his family’s farm but still had things well off and attended the local grammar school where a PE teacher first taught him cricket aged 13 and he kept on at it throughout his schooling career before moving to Manchester to attend the polytechnic and get a degree in natural sciences. His talent in cricket was kept close tabs on through his great performances at club level and his name soon started getting talked about at higher echelons of the game and eventually into the England team.
He is a rigorous trainer and is always first in and last out of the gym and the nets which has allowed him to develop a great physique and skill with a cricket ball.
Has begun to like and occasionally attend Manchester City games in his adoptive home. Is a massive music fan from various genres but Oasis is his favourite from his continued stay in Manchester.