Test cricket = Ashes

It looks as if almost every nation's fans are abandoning test cricket except for Australia and England.

No matter - Test cricket can survive and thrive underpinned by only the original duo of Austraila and England - who remain wildly enthusiastic about the Ashes encounters, and who nowadays regard all other Test match contests as merely preparation and practice for the Ashes.

But the Ashes will need to become an annual event - alternating back and forth between Australia and England as at present, but happening twice as often as at present.

Also the Ashes tour programs could be expanded (as they were in the past) to include more warm-ups and friendly 'exhibition' games around the country - i.e. more of a 'scoial' program at the beginning and end of the Ashes proper.

Obviously doubling the frequency would make the Ahses a little less special, but it would be well worth it.