Mark Ramprakash might have glittered for England if 'Strictly' had called earlier

Strictly Come Dancing may have arrived a decade too late for master batsman Mark Ramprakash, according to his "biggest fan" as a cricketer. Ramprakash, 38, is on the brink of becoming the 25th, and probably last, player to score 100 first-class hundreds and he could reach the milestone at The Oval this week while facing Yorkshire, the county he hit his first century against 19 years ago.

Having raised his bat twice already this season in the County Championship, few would bet against him completing the journey on home soil during a match which starts today. But, whenever and wherever the deal is sealed, Ramprakash will be applauded up and down the county.

Inevitably, though, his achievement will again throw up the question that no one has been able to answer. Why did such a supremely talented technician score only two centuries in 52 Tests and average only 27 for England?

"Ramps is the only one who can really say why he couldn't transfer his undoubted skill to the top level," said Alec Stewart, his former England and Surrey team-mate.

"It certainly wasn't for the want of trying. Did he try too hard? Only he knows. Was he not relaxed enough? We can only guess. But I really do think going on, and winning, Strictly Come Dancing two years ago helped him as a cricketer.

"Before he did it, he asked a few people, myself included, whether we thought he should go for it. I said he should - because I wanted entertaining on a Saturday evening! But the thing is, he went into the unknown a bit with that television programme.

"Ramps knew he could dance - he's got rhythm - but he was still putting himself into an uncomfortable position in front of millions of people.

"I think if he had been able to do that, or something like it, as a 23-year-old, it would have helped his Test career. He took on a challenge he wasn't sure about, conquered it and come out the other end. I think that would have helped him as a cricketer."