England is ready to take on Australia in the iconic Ashes series, with an aim to entertain their audience. The Ashes is considered one of the most enduring rivalries in cricket, spanning 140 years. While Australia is already World Test champion, England is looking to stand out with their thrilling box set entertainment this summer.
The recent World Test Championship, won by Australia, did not quite capture the attention of cricket fans in a way that the Ashes does. The rivalry between England and Australia is something that fans look forward to, and this year is no different.
England has been dominating with their Big Three of Test cricket, with India also visiting, but losing out in the end. Pat Cummins’ side emerged victorious over India, receiving $1.6 million as they triumphed over their subcontinent rivals. Despite this, the wider landscape of cricket has been struggling as the shorter formats of the game have taken over, leaving Test cricket in its shadow.
However, Cummins and his team are adamant that Test cricket still holds its place. “It’s huge for this format, you can ask anyone in the dressing room this is our favourite format, says Cummins. The passion for Test cricket emanated from watching the classic Ashes battles, which draws in fans from all over the world.
The 2005 Ashes series in England was one such classic, and is still talked about as a piece of theatre that transcended mere winning and losing. Tickets were selling for four figures before the final match, and trading on the stock market fell by 20% on the Monday before the game as employees made plans to watch. The 2005 Ashes has gone down in history as The Greatest Series.
England will hope to capture the same level of excitement this year. They are currently on a winning streak of 11 Test matches out of 13, with a talismanic captain, Ben Stokes, who wants his players to be rock stars. The series is expected to captivate the country and inspire kids, just as it did in 2005.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has decided to use the bulk of the UK summer holidays to attract a new audience with the Hundred, a quickfire, family-friendly and affordable competition featuring global stars, colourful kits, funky franchise names and musical entertainment. Although purists may not enjoy it, it has helped spike interest in women’s cricket.
Test cricket can breathe in the oxygen of the Ashes over the next six weeks. This latest instalment has paraded the big trailers. Now it is showtime, and there is a captive audience waiting to be entertained.
