Hollioake is a leader caught between orthodoxies a modern captain of a rapidly mutating game still run by traditionalists
Posted in General on 09. Aug, 2010
Hollioake is a leader caught between orthodoxies; a modern captain of a rapidly mutating game still run by traditionalists. As a result, the divergent paths that England’s one-day and Test players now find themselves treading are perhaps not as distinct as many believe, with the need for separate captains still hotly debated.
But if Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting, both of them former England captains as well as selectors, are believed to favour a single captain – as the initial appointment of Mike Atherton for the one-day series in the Caribbean would suggest – the England coach, David Lloyd, is clearly in the “two captains” camp.Having been an important part of Hollioake’s barnstorming wins in Sharjah, Lloyd feels that the bumpy ride being given to Hollioake, particularly following Thursday’s loss, is more than a little unfair.”I thought Adam had a good game,” said Lloyd yesterday “He played really well with the bat. He’s a strapping lad who likes to hit the ball, but losing four quick wickets forced him to move it around instead.”He also handled the bowlers well and showed imagination. Years of conditioning, strict diets and a massive lung capacity are coupled with a fierce will to win as the Australian Cadel Evans showed The women’s race was won by Laurence Leboucher, of France. Both riders are expected to compete at the 2000 Olympics.It certainly was a great day out for the home, off-road biking fraternity, who are already looking forward to next year’s event.Copies of these photographs – and any others by The Independent’s sports photographers David Ashdown, Peter Jay and Robert Hallam – can be ordered by telephoning 0171-293-2534.. FOR one man, the result of today’s Texaco Trophy match at Old Trafford will have all the importance of a World Cup final. Adam Hollioake may not have sought the one-day captaincy of his country, but you can tell he likes the new uniform.
Yet fashion is a fickle thing and unless his team beat South Africa today and get back into the three-match series, he may well find himself wearing civvies to next summer’s big event. The fact that you may be passing your favourite restaurant doesn’t matter But I do feel comfortable here I am relaxed I go to my own place and sleep fantastically I believe it is how I feel that is important to me. If I am in control of my plan, then I do not fear anyone.”Do not misunderstand me, I’m not saying I’m confident, I’m definitely going to beat David and Michael in the race I respect them and they’re very strong, very dangerous But I now know what I can do. I am working all the time to get the car I want, and that plan is working for me If I stay focused like this, I have what I need.”. IT IS the two-wheeled, off-road equivalent of Formula One racing and last weekend it was the turn of a Plymouth park to host the mountain bike World Cup – an eight-round series which had already visited the United States, Portugal, Hungary and Germany. A sweltering Sunday at Newnham Park on the edge ofDartmoor saw 193 male elite category riders, including many British hopefuls, tackle five laps of a gruelling 10-kilometre course consisting of hard climbs across open moorland, fast and narrow descents through woodland trails (complete with emergency padding on some trees), numerous river crossings and the notorious “pipeline” descent. This is a 150ft drop down an extremely steep and rock- strewn bank into a river valley with a tight chicane at the bottom.
The tricky course made for an excellent spectacle for the 20,000 strong crowd.
In the clouds of dust that formed on the pipeline some riders inevitably lost control and ended up parting company with their bikes, while others seemed to glide effortlessly through the chicane and off into the woods.The riders are all top-level athletes. But so far, Hakkinen is following his home strategy.”I started this weekend confident,” he said “I just felt good, like a I knew what I was doing I tried to continue from Spain. I had a plan to go with here also and up to now it is going well.”Hakkinen has a poor record here – a sixth place by default is his best result – and had two below-par performances before Barcelona a fortnight ago. A win here might prove a crushing blow, extending as it would his lead over Coulthard to at least 11pts.