Sport 13-11-2003 Flintoff Is World Number One who: Lancashire cricketer Andrew Flintoff what: Wins man of the series award after England`s overwhelming defeat of Bangladesh where: Bangladesh when: Yesterday snippet: "The Andrew Flintoff benefit series drew to a close last night with England`s third Identikit victory in as many games," says The Telegraph`s Simon Briggs from Dhaka. "Once again Flintoff scooped all the prizes - for man of the match, man of the series and leading run-scorer - while Rikki Clarke was left wondering what a No 6 had to do to get a bat." The Lancashire player is now the No.1 all-rounder in world rankings. The only prize Flintoff failed to win "was a four-stroke, three-wheeled scooter which was donated by a local garage," says The Independent`s Angus Fraser. And the only reason he didn`t go home with it is "only the Bangladesh players were eligible to win it" (it was awarded, incidentally, to Bangladesh`s man of the series, Mushfiqur Rahman). Bangladesh were bowled out for 182 in 49.1 overs yesterday. England responded with 185-3, winning by an embarrassingly comfortable seven wickets. It was the end of a five-week tour in which they won the Test series 2-0 and the one-day series 3-0. Now, as they set off for Sri Lanka, "the heat will become more intense," says The Guardian. "Just where Bangladesh go from here is uncertain," ponders Paul Weaver. "Their potential is vast, but despite the marginal improvement in their performance yesterday they have been pulverised by England." [... more]

What The Papers Say is delivered to thousands of readers every morning by web, WAP and email. Sign up today!