By gums - sweet success may be just around the corner for England's cricketing heroes.

As the fifth and final Test got under way at Headingley, England's sweet-toothed stars enjoyed a special delivery.

Not from South Africa's top strike bowler Allan Donald, but from Nestl Rowntree.

A special consignment of Rowntree's Fruit Gums was dispatched to West Yorkshire at the behest of the England team's fitness guru Dean Riddell.

The munchies are becoming as common a dressing room item as liniment, pads and jockstraps.

And now it seems sticky fingers, not a sticky wicket, are England's most pressing problem.

The sweets swung their way to Leeds following a surprise telephone call to Nestl's consumer services department at York from Riddell.

"He said the players are getting through vast quantities and initially asked us if he could buy a job lot, but we were more than happy to supply them free of charge," said Nestl spokesman Paul Kirkwood.

The England team remained tight-lipped when approached by the Evening Press today.

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