So congratulations to England on finally regaining the Ashes. Thanks to the weather the 5th Test didn't quite match up to the previous ones, but it was still gripping stuff and the outcome was in doubt right up to the last session of play yesterday. There was a nice little scene midway through the match when the English batsmen, aware that a draw was all they needed, were asking the umpires to allow them to go off for bad light. The crowd at the Oval began putting up umbrellas to reinforce the point, in response to which a bunch of Australian supporters removed their shirts and pretended to sunbathe.

In any sport, for a team to achive greatness they must have a couple of big stars, and there's no doubt that England have the genuine articles in Flintoff and Pietersen. Flintoff made a massive contribution right through the series, and Pietersen's 158 runs yesterday were probably all that stood between England and an undeserved defeat. Australia have two superstars of their own in Warne and McGrath, but yesterday was their farewell to Test cricket in England. McGrath will be hard to replace, but Warne - the greatest spin bowler the world has ever seen - will be irreplaceable. Several times during this series the game was reduced to a straight contest between him and the English batting order. England on the other hand are a young team on the up, and, with a little fine-tuning, it should only be a matter of time before they knock Australia off the top of the world rankings.

Yesterday also saw the farewell broadcast of Richie Benaud, former captain of Australia, and one of the greats of the game both on and off the pitch. The bookies were taking bets on what his final words would be, and in the event he closed with 'It's been a lot of fun'. At the very instant he uttered the words McGrath clean bowled Pietersen, forcing him to add, 'unless of course you're a batsman'. Cricket seems to throw up great characters, and Benaud and Warne are certainly among them.

When the day is done, and the ball has spun
In the umpire's pocket away,
And all remains, in the groundsman's pains,
For the rest of time and a day.
There'll be one mad dog and his master pushing for 4 with the spin
On a dusty pitch, with two pounds six of willowwood in the sun.

from 'When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease' by Roy Harper - which, incidentally, is the song John Peel wanted played on the radio if he passed away.