STEVE'S NATIONAL TREASURES

A GROUP of underdogs have risen to the challenge to do the nation proud.

Which is a good job, because England's cricketers are in the process of making us feel furious.

A wonderful autumn of sport was supposed to see one national team rise and the other sink without trace.

Just not in the order it is doing! Who gave the England rugby team a prayer of winning the World Cup? No one did, because Steve Borthwick's side resembled nothing more than bungling amateurs in the build-up.

The wilted Red Rose became the laughing stock of rugby and lost at home to Fiji for the first time.

But seven weeks later England have marched to the semi-finals.