Sport 13-12-2000 Hussain and Co`s Very Englsh Return who: England cricket team what: Return from victory in deciding Third Test where: HEATHROW AIRPORT when: Yesterday snippet: "England`s triumphant cricketers received a heroes` welcome on their return home," reports ITN, "with Nasser Hussain being one of the few England captains of recent times to bring a trophy home". England needed 176 to win from a minimum of 44 overs on the final day of the Third Test against Pakistan on Monday. They battled on at the National Stadium in Karachi in very poor light to secure England`s first win in Pakistan since 1961. But at Heathrow airport`s terminal 4 at 7am yesterday morning, they got an uncomfortable, English sort of welcome, says The Guardian`s Paul Weaver. The team looked a little like refugees "as they shuffled, almost sheepishly, past a considerable gathering of well-wishers," he says. The crowd "gawped" in silence for a moment "until one of their number, rather like a game-show warm-up stooge, started to clap and cheer, inanely and tonelessly; everyone hurriedly followed suit." In The Sun, David Gower singles out Michael Atherton for particular praise. "Without Atherton`s marathon innings of 125, England would probably have lost the Third Test," he says. "His 65 not out in the Second Test also allowed England to escape from a potentially dicey situation." But there`s a lot to do before England "take their place at the top table of the international game," complains a curmudgeonly Michael Henderson in The Telegraph. "They are weak in slow bowling, urgently need to find a young wicketkeeper to replace the ageing Alec Stewart, and know that Atherton`s back could give in at any time". [... more]

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