Rikki Clarke      

Tall and well-balanced, Rikki Clarke is strong off the front foot, with a classy straight-drive. With the ball, it's like watching a video of Martin Bicknell bowl, even down to the floppy hair. But the jury is still out about his international credentials, after a rapid rise to the top came screeching to a halt in 2004. After winning a 2nd XI Championship medal with Surrey in 2001, he picked up a Division One winners' gong the following year, and within 12 months, he had been fast-tracked into the Test team, when Andrew Flintoff withdrew from the Bangladesh tour with a groin injury. Born in Essex but brought up in commuter-belt Surrey, Clarke cracked a century on first-class debut against Cambridge UCCE, and shortly afterwards added a majestic 153 not out against Somerset at Taunton. He won the Cricket Writers Club's prestigious Young Cricketer of the Year award in 2002, and was almost immediately called up for the Champions Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka. He returned to the one-day squad after the World Cup, whereupon he became the first Englishman for 31 years to take a wicket with his first delivery. However, after disappointing tours of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, in which he was picked in both the Test and one-day squad, he failed to impress in England's NatWest Series squad, after being called up as cover for the injured Marcus Trescothick and Flintoff. His bowling form slumped, but promising performances during the 2006 season - and England's one-day horror-show - brought him back into the reckoning. Despite a poor showing with bat and ball against Pakistan he was named in England's squad for the Champions Trophy in October. However he quickly slipped off the radar for club and country, losing his Surrey place during the 2007 season. He moved to Derbyshire and was named captain for 2008 but quit in August after a dismal run of form and, a few weeks later, left the club altogether. On the same day, Warwickshire - who had long courted his services - snapped him up on a three-year deal, to revive his hopes of playing again for England one day.
Steven Lynch September 2008