Better with age

Graham Gooch managed 6000 runs in his thirties and it looks like the former England captain's adage of "I just got better with age" has rubbed off on more recent county stalwarts. We've already heard about Graeme Hick in this column and now it's the turn of Surrey's Mark Ramprakash.

Not content with stripping off his shirt and waving it around his head in celebration earlier this year, he's only gone past 2,000 runs this season, which includes a triple ton. Amazing, but then speak to any of his colleagues (or read his diary from last year's campaign) and it is no surprise he has achieved the landmark at his age. Technically brilliant, he clearly still has the drive to succeed at the highest level.

Essex's 38-year-old Andy Flower is another who is in a rich vein of form having scored a big double ton recently, and what's to say one of these two won't hand out the same punishment in the fast-paced environment of the Twenty20 finals tomorrow?