Why the Ashes matter

I’m sitting on an early evening train to Cardiff. Grey clouds hang overhead, heavy with rain. Occassionally a shaft of light breaks through, illuminating the hills and fields in a golden glow. It feels like something momentous is about to happen.

It could be that the train is scheduled to arrive on time. But of course it is something much more important than that. The Ashes start tomorrow.

The papers here have tried to analyse why the Ashes matter so much. They cite the usual cliches about anomisity between the ‘mother country’ and the ‘colonialists.’ But I don’t buy that. Maybe once. But now it matters just because it does.

Let me explain. The Ashes has been going long enough to have it’s own history and mythology, incidents that have gone into folklore. Bodyline. Bradman. Botham at Headingly. Warnie’s ball of the century. 2005. Harmison’s first ball at the Gabba. And a thousand tiny little in idents that have created one of the world of sport’s greatest rivalries.

It doesn’t matter that the Aussies are the number one Test side in the world. And England are ranked a lowly fifth. At 10 am tommorrow – weather permitting – it’s game on. And I’m going to be there to see it.

Because I’m in the middle of applying for British citizenship people have asked me who I will be supporting. Lord Tebbit believes you shouldn’t be granted a British passport unless you support the English cricket team. But roots are roots. I wouldn’t expect any English person who has emigrated to Oz to start waving Boxing Kangaroo flags. Hopefully the good folk here won’t expect me to start singing Jerusalem.

So on to the series. Glenn McGrath is tipping another 5-0 whitewash to the Aussies (which, to quote Kevin Keegan, I’d love- really love – to see) I think it’s going to be much closer. 1-1. Or 2-1 to the Aussies.

Whatever happens you can guarantee new villians and heroes will emerge. New twists will be added to the tale.

Hopefully starting tomorrow. Maybe a Philip Hughes double century or a five for from Mitchell Jonston. Depending on the toss.

Bring it on!