England team attend memorial in Flanders

LONDON (Reuters) - England's cricketers made a two-day visit to Flanders Field in Belgium to attend a memorial service and visit the graves of some of those who died in World War One.

Fast bowler Stuart Broad laid a stone cricket ball at the graveside of former Kent and England spinner Colin Blythe, who died at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.

"It's important to take a step back from cricket at times and this visit was a deeply moving and humbling experience for all of the players and management," captain Andrew Strauss said in a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

England begin the five-match Ashes series against Australia on July 8 in Cardiff.

(To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)