By Megan Lane BBC News Magazine Cricketers are not known for their dancing prowess, yet Mark Ramprakash is a hot favourite to follow Darren Gough as winner of Strictly Come Dancing. Why?
By Megan Lane BBC News Magazine Cricketers are not known for their dancing prowess, yet Mark Ramprakash is a hot favourite to follow Darren Gough as winner of Strictly Come Dancing. Why?
It is no great surprise when a stage school-reared soap star takes to the Strictly Come Dancing floor and proves something of a twinkle toes.
It is no great surprise when a stage school-reared soap star takes to the Strictly Come Dancing floor and proves something of a twinkle toes.
Nor is it that startling when hurdler Colin Jackson and decathlete Denise Lewis apply their dedication and agility to dance training to great success.
Nor is it that startling when hurdler Colin Jackson and heptathlete Denise Lewis apply their dedication and agility to dance training to great success.
On more familiar groundBut a cricketer? It is hardly the most of athletic of sports, involving standing in a field for days at a time.
On more familiar groundBut a cricketer? It is hardly the most of athletic of sports, involving standing in a field for days at a time.
That was before beefy bowler Darren Gough whirled his way to ballroom glory last year, against stiff competition from Jackson and a surprisingly graceful Zoe Ball.
That was before beefy bowler Darren Gough whirled his way to ballroom glory last year, against stiff competition from Jackson and a surprisingly graceful Zoe Ball.
Now the hitherto shy and retiring batsman Mark Ramprakash often has the judges breathless with praise and the audience baying for more (although his winning form slumped last Saturday, making a pre-contest comment on a cricket chatboard that "he'll promise lots early on, but his temperament will let him down" seem rather prescient).
Now the hitherto shy and retiring batsman Mark Ramprakash often has the judges breathless with praise and the audience baying for more (although his winning form slumped last Saturday, making a pre-contest comment on a cricket chatboard that "he'll promise lots early on, but his temperament will let him down" seem rather prescient).
Neither Gough nor Ramprakash has much dance experience beyond a bit of a shimmy in a nightclub or busting a few moves at a wedding.
Neither Gough nor Ramprakash has much dance experience beyond a bit of a shimmy in a nightclub or busting a few moves at a wedding.
Sequins
Sequins
Not that it shows once they don sequined shirts and soft shoes. After all, timing and footwork are integral to both disciplines.
Not that it shows once they don sequined shirts and soft shoes. After all, timing and footwork are integral to both disciplines.
Rrrrrrr!amprakash in action"Cricketers are a lot fitter than they were 15 to 20 years ago," Ramprakash tells the Magazine. "You need agility, to be able to move your feet. And I've played a bit of football, which helps.
As a batsman, I do work a lot on technique, and always think about balance and where my feet go Mark Ramprakash "Cricketers are a lot fitter than they were 15 to 20 years ago," Ramprakash tells the Magazine. "You need agility, to be able to move your feet. And I've played a bit of football, which helps.
"As a batsman, I do work a lot on technique, and always think about balance, my arms, where the feet go and how far they move. Karen [Hardy, his dance partner] has been very good at giving me lots of technical information about how to position my hands and feet."
"As a batsman, I do work a lot on technique, and always think about balance, my arms, where the feet go and how far they move. Karen [Hardy, his dance partner] has been very good at giving me lots of technical information about how to position my hands and feet."
In some ways, Ramprakash seems somewhat bemused at the surprise his dance prowess has been met with. After all, as a former England international and now a senior player at Surrey, he is among the sport's elite.
In some ways, Ramprakash seems somewhat bemused at the surprise his dance prowess has been met with. After all, as a former England international and now a senior player at Surrey, he is among the sport's elite.
Dance teacher Max Ali agrees: "If you are a great sportsman and good in some sport you play, you can do other sports just as well and dancing is no exception. Emmitt Smith has just won the American version - he is a big guy and a number one American football player."
Dance teacher Max Ali agrees: "If you are a great sportsman and good in some sport you play, you can do other sports just as well and dancing is no exception. Emmitt Smith has just won the American version - he is a big guy and a number one American football player."
Dance sport
Dance sport
But nobody - not Ramprakash himself - expected him to be quite so nifty. His dance-loving eight-year-old daughter Cara laughed when he told her he'd signed up for the show.
But nobody - not Ramprakash himself - expected him to be quite so nifty. His dance-loving eight-year-old daughter Cara laughed when he told her he'd signed up for the show.
MARK'S TIPS FOR BEGINNERS 'Have fun - try and enjoy it''You need a certain level of fitness and flexibility''Be open-minded about some of your costumes''Try a variety of dances before settling on which you'd like to specialise in''Have a good coach' "You must have been a dancer in another life, and once again you ignited my fire," gushed judge Arlene Philips to Ramprakash after one high-scoring performance. Something she knows a thing or two about, being the woman behind the Hot Gossip dancers on the Kenny Everett Video Show.
MARK'S TIPS FOR BEGINNERS 'Have fun - try and enjoy it''You need a certain level of fitness and flexibility''Be open-minded about some of your costumes''Try a variety of dances before settling on which you'd like to specialise in''Have a good coach' "You must have been a dancer in another life, and once again you ignited my fire," gushed judge Arlene Philips to Ramprakash after one high-scoring performance. Something she knows a thing or two about, being the woman behind the Hot Gossip dancers on the Kenny Everett Video Show.
But Ramprakash says many cricketers may also turn out to be proficient dancers if given the intensive training he's undergone.
But Ramprakash says many cricketers may also turn out to be proficient dancers if given the intensive training he's undergone.
"Without a doubt. So long as they're open-minded enough to have a go, they might find themselves floating around the dance floor."
"Without a doubt. So long as they're open-minded enough to have a go, they might find themselves floating around the dance floor."
What hasn't come quite so naturally to him is the showmanship required.
What hasn't come quite so naturally to him is the showmanship required.
"People need to see you enjoying dance rather than 'oh, what comes next?' That's what I'm thinking, but you've got to give an air of enjoyment and that it's all natural. Darren did that brilliantly. I have to work a little bit more at that."
"People need to see you enjoying dance rather than 'oh, what comes next?' That's what I'm thinking, but you've got to give an air of enjoyment and that it's all natural. Darren did that brilliantly. I have to work a little bit more at that."
But where his sporting background has proved useful is in preparing to compete under pressure.
But where his sporting background has proved useful is in preparing to compete under pressure.
"I try to get myself mentally in a frame of mind to perform, to have positive thoughts, to visualise myself going out there beforehand. It's trying to build confidence."
"I try to get myself mentally in a frame of mind to perform, to have positive thoughts, to visualise myself going out there beforehand. It's trying to build confidence."
Smooth operator
Smooth operator
Gary Palmer, a freelance cricket coach and former Somerset player who has squared up against Ramprakash, says cricketers need to be fit, agile and co-ordinated - all useful qualities in dance.
Gary Palmer, a freelance cricket coach and former Somerset player who has squared up against Ramprakash, says cricketers need to be fit, agile and co-ordinated - all useful qualities in dance.
Darren dazzled on the dance floor"Professional-level cricketers do a lot of pre-season training - running, speed and agility work. In fact, I think most professional sportsmen should make good dancers."
Darren dazzled on the dance floor"Professional-level cricketers do a lot of pre-season training - running, speed and agility work. In fact, I think most professional sportsmen should make good dancers."
Not least because performing is a part of the game, be it cricket or dancing.
Not least because performing is a part of the game, be it cricket or dancing.
"Everyone likes the crowd behind them," says Palmer. "Test cricket is a patient game and when something happens it's exciting. And 20/20 is a fast game with big crowds - there's a lot of performing there."
"Everyone likes the crowd behind them," says Palmer. "Test cricket is a patient game and when something happens it's exciting. And 20/20 is a fast game with big crowds - there's a lot of performing there."
As a specialist batsman, he says that Ramprakash has something of an advantage.
As a specialist batsman, he says that Ramprakash has something of an advantage.
"Mark is quite an elegant batsman and very conscious of technique - I expect he's taking in every single piece of technical information his dance partner offers."
"Mark is quite an elegant batsman and very conscious of technique - I expect he's taking in every single piece of technical information his dance partner offers."
And having watched first Gough and now Ramprakash transform themselves, he is fielding a new type of question from the lads he coaches.
And having watched first Gough and now Ramprakash transform themselves, he is fielding a new type of question from the lads he coaches.
"They want to know, 'if I get that sort of training, can I do that as well?' I don't see why not. You try and get Phil Tufnell to dance like that - then I'll believe that cricketers make good dancers."
"They want to know, 'if I get that sort of training, can I do that as well?' I don't see why not. You try and get Phil Tufnell to dance like that - then I'll believe that cricketers make good dancers."
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
I remember that Sir Jack Hobbs, arguably England's greatest test batsmen, when asked how he kept fit during the winter, replied "Ballroom dancing." He thought it was good for his footwork.Lawrence Taylor, Osaka, Japan
Maybe we should send Anton Du Beke to the ashes!Gareth, London
The fact that I'm not a professional cricketer is probably the reason behind my Tarbuck-esque moves on the Chipping Sodbury Cricket Club dance floor. That or the large amounts of alcohol. Malcolm Soper, Chipping Sodbury
Here we go again! You say cricket involves "standing around for days on end". Cricketers have to have high levels of physical and mental stamina to endure long periods of play, they do not just stand around, they have to be ready and alert. Imagine some of the over-paid footballers being so fit, most of them can barely manage 90 minutes without falling over in agony.Lesley, York
