An hour before the Ashes began, spectators thronged outside the Hollies Stand. A man dressed as a banana walked by with a focused expression. Three butchers and a pig leaned against a fence lighting cigarettes. Elvis fumbled through his pockets for his ticket, as the Power Rangers walked purposefully towards the bar for an early settler.
The wait before the first Test is always stomach-churning, but this particular anticipation felt different. Everyone knew it, from the morning drinkers in fancy dress to the gently pinked men in shorts and Skechers; from the mustachioed Australians to the kids in floppy hats. England have recalibrated Test cricket’s dials since these teams last met, and so everyone had come ready to witness something – no one was quite sure exactly what, but it was definitely going to be something.
