As I write the Ashes are tied. We enter the final day of the Second Test at Lord’s with the possibility of England defeating Australia at the home of cricket for the first time since 1934; or equally Australia complete the largest run chase in history to win a test match.
We have already had the drama of Cardiff, as Paul Collingwood, Graeme Swann and then remarkably James Anderson and Monty Panesar gallantly gritted out batting performances inspired by Roy of the Rovers.
Remember Gary Pratt – the substitute fielder who ran-out Ricky Ponting and made the captain so irate in a series changing moment four-years ago. Well, Ponting has already blown-his-mouth off at England for disrespecting the Spirit of Cricket by bringing on the physio to waste time in Wales; his dismissal in the first innings at Lord’s; and at Ravi Bopara for not accepting Nathan Hauritz’s word after replays were inconclusive as to whether the catch had carried.
The excitement of 2005 is despite what many expected, being matched if not bettered this time around - and we still have three tests and a day left of the series. Though even if tomorrow we see Siddle and Hilfenhaus needing only three to win – as it was at Edgbaston – the level of celebration or despair will never match that of the triumphant victories four years ago because of its broadcasting.
The Ashes of Vaughan, Jones and Flintoff was the last test series to be shown live and on terrestrial television in England. This time all we have is a 36-minute highlights programme (once adverts have been taken into consideration) a day. Of course Test Match Special continues to offer delectable coverage. But for the next generation of Pietersens and Andersons the dulcet tones of Henry Bloefeld will not be enough to turn them from the much more accessible football or rugby, or equally their computer games and Harry Potter.
With tickets being sold out months before the series, and even then the cheapest ticket not offering much change for £50, if any, no-longer can cricket’s next generation be inspired by the stars of today, to replay scenarios in gardens or playgrounds across the county.
Sky aims to have 10-million customers by 2010 – which is still only reaching one-sixth of the population, and that being largel
y the wealthy and based in the south – not the demographic that has given rise to England’s most renowned Ashes winning heroes of the last 30-years – Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff.
The newspapers are dominated by what interests their readership, and although the Ashes is prevalent throughout, the Open Championship has arguably overshadowed the cricket. Undoubtedly every year this is a hugely popular event, and with Tom Watson almost making history as the oldest winner of the championship it became even more romantic and intriguing.
However, one cannot ignore the impact of constant BBC broadcasting of the event. Since Thursday, four rounds of golf have dominated their daily schedules. Especially with the temperamental weather in many places, fans and those who have previously had no interest in the sport have been transfixed by what they have seen.
I don’t think that it will become apparent how important and significant the switch to pay-to-watch television has been for a few years when there may well be a dearth of talent. Many predicted cricket may well be in trouble at the time the government decided to remove home test matches from their protected list of sporting events to be broadcast on free-to-air television.
William Buckland in his book, Pommies, went further and looked at the rotten core of English cricket – the establishment and its administration. Many of what he says is quite extreme, but the general synopsis of English cricket facing major problems is certainly accurate.
Twenty20 cricket will not kill test cricket – but the fact that it has been snatched away from the general populous and only the rich are allowed to watch it from their debenture seats, supping their champagne will.
This Ashes is only the tip of the iceberg. However spectacular, it will not reach the heights of 2005 – because there aren’t enough people able to watch it to help lift it up.
