Next week's Ashes will once witness proper cricket again, with a past that embraces a bit of chicanery and mutual loathing as well as great deeds and more affection, if you look for it, than there used to be. David Foot in his blog on the Guardian website remembers how, for two days in 1948, how the Australian 'Invincibles' masterfully lit up Taunton with unceremonious brilliance.

All of us were caught up in a crescendo of excitement. The country at that time might be weighed down by shortages, war-weary demeanours and all the signs of the demob-suit aura. But, come on, we were here to see the Australians. Not quite the Ashes, but the next best thing.

There was no time for prolonged English celebrations after the desperately tense win at Edgbaston in the second Test in 2005. The next match at Old Trafford started four days later. John Westerby in the Times relives the moments with a few cricketers and fans.

Matthew Hoggard

After such an intense experience as the Edgbaston game, it was crucial to be able to switch off from cricket for a couple of days. I went home and cut the grass, played with the dogs and had a couple of barbecues.

Ken Grime Old Trafford match manager

At 5am, our overnight security people had alerted us that there were people camping outside the ground, so some of our stewards were at work by 6am. I set off to drive in from Bury about 6.50am and I was surprised when I saw a couple of lads wearing England shirts at our local bus stop. Then there were a few more at the next stop. And the stop after that. When I got to the ground at 7.40am, I wondered whether there might be a bit of a crowd gathering. A bit of a crowd? The ground was already surrounded.

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