Ramprakash crowned <I>Strictly Come Dancing</I> champion

Mark Ramprakash has proved that he can cut it on the big stage after all when he was crowned BBC TV's Strictly Come Dancing champion on Saturday night. Both the judges and the public voted for Ramprakash ahead of the rugby player Matt Dawson in the final, with each competitor performing five dances with their professional partner.

Ramprakash made some difficult lifts in the final dance, the free-style, and later confessed to some nerves at performing the manoeuvres with his partner Karen Hardy: "Being a cricketer," he said, "I might have dropped her." Instead his footwork was immaculate and the pressure told only one story: he can handle it.

The title caps a staggering year for Ramprakash, helping Surrey to bounce back immediately to the top flight of the Championship with a phenomenal 2,278 runs at 103.54. At 38 he could not earn a recall to the England Test squad for the Ashes, although he had accepted way before this series that his days at international level were way over.

But his victory has at last provided some cheer for cricket fans in England.

"It's been incredible," he smiled as he became the second cricketer behind Darren Gough to pick up the silver, sparkly glitter-ball trophy with 'Strictly Come Dancing' emblazoned on it in pink writing. He had started the dancing series a 15 to 1 outsider, but soon became established as the favourite - and in the end victory was a waltz.