It has been an incredible Ashes series, and if England didn’t end up with the urn they certainly ended it with the momentum after clawing back from 2-0 down. I was at the Oval for two days of the final Test and it was really striking how engaged and enthused the public were by the contest and the way England were going about it. As a former player I’m often invited into the hospitality area at lunch and you can really tell how engrossed people are with the cricket by how long they linger after play has restarted – at the Oval they left almost immediately.
It helps that the media narrative around Ben Stokes and his team is so positive. I remember the old days when Bob Willis, Ian Botham and others were always very critical of the England side, but some broadcasters have worked out that positivity makes for a better, more enjoyable product. At the moment this is working for everyone: we have an attacking team that is getting good results, commentators who are thrilled with what they are seeing, fans who are hugely supportive – and record viewing figures.
