As Australia and England prepare for the crucial fourth Test in Manchester, no one can recall a series that has attracted as much interest - and hostility - in more than 140 years of Ashes history.
Mentally, the good folk of Melbourne go off-piste from late July, leading up to the AFL finals in September. Thrilling Australian football contests play havoc with the collective Melbourne mind as the big men fly.
So, what are people talking about in Melbourne right now? Well, until Tuesday’s bombshell announcement of Melbourne’s withdrawal as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games it was, er, the cricket.
Andrew ClarkSenior writerAndrew Clark is a former editor of The Sun-Herald and Australian Business. He was a correspondent in Europe and North America, a political correspondent in Canberra and has been a journalist for more than 55 years. Email Andrew at aclark@afr.com.au
