It seems you can’t talk about the Ashes series between England and Australia – which starts today – without describing it as “hotly anticipated”. So there, I’ve done it. But for all the hype, it’s true that it promises to be a humdinger, and may even do that mythical thing of turning a sporting contest into an object of interest for those who don’t like sport.
England’s new laissez-faire approach towards the once sanctified art of batting makes them a thrill to watch, and the fact that this refreshing philosophy is about to be tested by a fearsome quartet of Australian bowlers only adds to the anticipation. And in one sense, the reason for this appeal is obvious – two of the best teams in the world meeting in a contest freighted with a particular historical significance.
Yet the Ashes’ special pull is about more than the mere excitement of the spectacle, also speaking to our deep-rooted desire for heroes. Because in an age of uninspiring politics and dethroned statues, at a time when the pantheon of commonly accepted heroes continues to shrink by the day, the Ashes provide a rare setting in which we can for once hope to bask in the more admirable aspects of our humanity. Greatness has long been an unfashionable concept in many fields, but it does still hold currency in sport, and that is testament to the special dispensation we give to those who take to the field.
For a brief period, we can set aside cynicism and hope instead to marvel at human performance of the highest level: the heroes of Headingley in 1981 are still spoken of in hushed tones. And although it’s too simplistic to talk of sport simply as a form of escapism – witness the tangled relationship between cricket and politics in apartheid-era South Africa, for instance – there is nonetheless a distinct sense of stepping into a simpler world when we watch sport. We require the players only to be players, and we can be more forgiving of their faults and less ambivalent about their successes as a result.
There are limits of course, and a point at which players’ indiscretions can push them beyond the pale. Worth noting too that these Ashes could all go horribly wrong for England, and the bright anticipation of early summer wither away. But for now at least we can hope. At a time when humanity’s flaws are all too apparent in other areas of public life, many of us will turn to the Ashes to satisfy a yearning for heroes which is left unsatiated by so much else. Let’s hope they don’t disappoint.
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