| Cricket has been the favourite summer sport of the | | | | Everything looked rosy in the English cricketing |
| English for as long as many of us can remember. | | | | garden. |
| There are now signs, however, that this traditional | | | | Two years on, many are beginning to ask what has |
| game may be in trouble. | | | | subsequently gone wrong. A number of key figures |
| In 2005 England took on Australia in one of sport's | | | | from the Ashes success has been struck by injuries, |
| oldest and finest competitions - the battle for the | | | | while the beginning of 2007 saw the Australians win |
| cricketing Ashes. Australia were the leading team in | | | | the return series by a mammoth 5-0 margin. |
| Test Match cricket and had been for more than a | | | | As things went from bad to worse, the England |
| decade. England, by contrast, were only just in the | | | | team failed at the cricket World Cup and saw their |
| process of bouncing back after years in the | | | | coach sacked. It's been noticeable that the glow that |
| doldrums. | | | | followed the successes of two years ago has faded |
| Few expected what was about to happen next: | | | | - kids aren't out on the parks playing cricket in the |
| England competed against the Australians, producing | | | | same numbers. |
| one of the greatest Test series in living memory. By | | | | English cricket stands at a crossroads. Many are |
| the end of the series, England had regained the | | | | asking whether it will re-establish itself, or simply fade |
| Ashes. | | | | from the limelight. |
| Suddenly many of the top England cricketers were | | | | Keith Barrett has written about cricket and cricket |
| household names, known to even those with no | | | | gloves for a number of publications. This article may |
| interest in the game. Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen | | | | be used by any website publisher, though this |
| and Michael Vaughan were among those awarded | | | | resource box must always be included in full. |
| honours by no less a figure than the Queen herself. | | | | |