It’s ten years since that incredible Ashes series that captured the imagination of the nation and that enthralling Edgbaston test. So many great memories, two evenly matched teams and even the right result. I was in a packed Regent’s Park watching the coverage of the final test match and the series really captured the public imagination. Even the footage of a clearly “tired” Andy Flintoff on the open-topped bus parade the day after victory became a national cause celebre. The series reaffirmed the role that cricket has in our national life – becoming the talk of schools, pubs and workplaces.
The latest Ashes started a few weeks ago and saw the Aussies thumping us at Lords after a great England win in the first test. But who was watching? Compare the national feeling of ten years ago with the very muted sense of anticipation that preceded this year’s series. There are potentially a few reasons for this – Ashes series have become more regular and the England team now isn’t as strong as the team in 2005. But a far more important reason is, quite simply, that much fewer people are able to watch it.
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