Summer Holiday

‘LIKE many off us have a tendency to do at this time of year, Graham Thorpe has decided to take a bit of time off. Most of us, however, were not expected to be one of England’s top run scorers in the current Test series against India.

Rawlinson can’t stomach the thought of this just now

After the breakdown of Thorpe’s marriage last year interrupted his tour of India, he and the England management have agreed that taking a break is, according to the Times, ”the wisest course of action both to sort out his personal life and to recharge his batteries”.

Having notched up scores of just 4 and 1 in England’s impressive victory against India at Lord’s, now seems as good a time as any to take a break from the game.

”I am feeling very worn-down and burnt out by events off the field which have become a major distraction and prevented me from fully focusing on my cricket,” he tells the Sun, which, despite his insistence that retirement is not on his mind at the moment, is concerned that Thorpe may never return from his mini-break.

The tabloid writes that, having made himself unavailable for either England or Surrey, his Test career is ”on the line”.

Chris Rawlinson was another Englishman on the line yesterday – first in the 400m hurdles at the Manchester Commonwealth Games. Athletics’ male answer to Paula Radcliffe, Rawlinson (says the Telegraph) has had a career ”punctuated by a series of misfortunes and calamities” and ”could never seem to get it right on the big occasion”.

In the run-up to yesterday’s event, he tried extremely hard to sabotage his own success once again, succumbing to a bout of food poisoning 10 days ago after eating pieces of chicken left for two days in the back of his car.

”I didn’t think I’d make it to the start line in Manchester,” he admitted after winning gold. ”But everything has finally come right for me at last.”

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Posted: 30th, July 2002 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink