Nick Townsend: A working-class hero is something to be... celebrated

He may have been referring to the previous 12 hours, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt and presume that he was speaking of the past 51 days, when he and his evangelists had made cricket a broad church, filled withLord's - and the other venues - know how many converts.

The England XII have indulged their excesses, and rightly so; not least because there was something endearing about this group, who, but for those jackets and ties and the Trafalgar Square throng, could have been confused for a Sunday XI mostly pressganged into action, who had primarily turned up for the post-match beer.

None more so than Flintoff in a week when we have viewed his football counterpart, Wayne Rooney, and once again been confronted with the theory which tends to be perpetuated by the likes of his manager that all genius is necessarily flawed. Flintoff has given the lie to that, not only off the pitch, if it is correct that his worst indiscretion is his occasional camel-like consumption of alcohol - but on it, too.

The photograph of him consoling Brett Lee as his team celebrated victory at Edgbaston - "Everything we did, he [Lee] came straight back at us," the Lancastrian explains his admiration for the Australian pace bowler - should be framed and hung in every school and sports club changing-room, preferably adjacent to that image of Pele exchanging shirts with Bobby Moore from the 1970 World Cup. Thirty-five years apart, but the purity of expression in a world of cynicism could not be more pronounced. It is a gesture of respect worth a thousand government initiatives on the subject.

Germaine Greer disapproves of such a touchy-feely relationship between the teams. The implication is that the new men of cricket have suffered a kind of castration of their competitive instincts, that you cannot possess compassion for the vanquished and be a bloodthirsty warrior too. Yet no one would accuse Flintoff of a testosterone bypass - as we identified from those eye-bulging, contorted features and the triumphant posture after claiming a wicket.

Flintoff has proved himself both the catalyst and the primary reactive agent in the equation that has equalled England's triumph. Or to put it another way, he has released that all-rounder vacuum created by the retirement of Ian Botham.

David Lloyd, Duncan Fletcher's predecessor as England's coach, who nurtured Flintoff first at Lancashire and then with England, concurs. "He's got so many Botham traits. That 'here, give me the ball, I'll do it' attitude. He's an inspiration to his players around him and those watching. He's got a Bothamesque response from spectators because he never gets above himself." Lloyd, now a fellow Sky TV commentator and frequently in tandem with the iconic all-rounder from 1981, adds: "Andrew's a people's player. He's always got time for those who care about the sport and he's never been any different. I believe that character, and how he conducts himself, comes from his parents, and his upbringing."

And, it may be suggested, his extended cricketing "family"? Flintoff's ascendancy, from Lancashire to the England Under-15s, Under-19s, through to the England senior side and Test cricket, is attributed to Lloyd. That mentor scoffs at the suggestion. It was like plucking Olivier from the school play and predicting he may become a bit of an actor. "Anyone could have done it. It weren't rocket science, finding Andrew Flintoff. But obviously I've got a soft spot for him. To be involved with the lad from 15 years of age, and watch him trip up and get himself right, and fall down again and find himself, it's very gratifying for me."

He adds: "I used to get criticised, particularly at Lancashire, though not too much with England, for treating him like another son, because I'd single him out for special treatment. I didn't see any harm in that. I'd try to treat him as one of my own lads. He had a lot of rough edges as a batter. He just thought every ball should go for six and he got out. But all the while, his bowling was coming on nicely. He just needed refining."

That refinery has produced high-grade from crude, both with leather and willow, sufficient to produce some scintillating skirmishes within this protracted Ashes battle, notably with Shane Warne. The statistical skeleton reveals that the Aussie leg-spinner secured 40 wickets and struck 249 runs compared with the England all-rounder's 24 wickets and 402 runs. But wrap the flesh on those bones and you witness two characters capable of transforming a seemingly moribund position into one of opportunity.

Edgbaston was the key, after an inauspicious Ashes debut at Lord's when Flintoff was undone in England's second innings by Warne's machinations. The Australian was then in the ascendancy, and in his element, escaping from the realities of life on the cricket pitch, like the child who plays outside even as night falls rather than confront the miseries of a broken home. He has relished every second, batting, fielding or studiously, persistently picking the thread out of England's proud, fluttering standard. Flintoff's response was escape, with his family.

With England 187 for 4, Flintoff was nearly caught off Warne. It was a pivotal moment, probably just as Warne's failure to clutch Kevin Pietersen's nick was at The Oval. What if that fifth wicket had fallen then? Instead, Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen amassed 100 off 67 balls. Flintoff's knock included three sixes off Warne, two off Lee and set up that climactic denouement, which brought Lee to despair, Flintoff to his comfort, and Ashes cricket to a new dimension.

The England man appears rather taken aback by our wonder at this kinship between supposed avowed enemies: "It's been very competitive, but afterwards we have a beer and chew the fat in each others' dressing room," he says, as though it were the most obvious conclusion to an Ashes confrontation. That should not distract from the fact that this series has been won by dint of meticulous preparation and, notwithstanding Flintoff's contribution, the installation of a team ethic which brooks no divisive egos.

What of the future? As the autumn leaves fall, the affection of many for cricket will, you suspect, become like a holiday romance, a fond memory as many of the Freddie-come-latelys renew their wonder-lust for Wayne and Co as Germany 2006 beckons. One can only trust England's footballers have watched and learnt. This has been more than a series triumph over the most daunting adversaries. It has propelled Flintoff on to the pantheon of all-rounders, been a testimony to Vaughan's captaincy and Fletcher's motivational qualities, and offered exhibitions of supreme character from those, like Ashley Giles and Geraint Jones, whose talents at times have been cruelly debased. But overridingly, the characteristic of the series has been sportsmanship, a word that has slipped increasingly from the professional sportsman's lexicon.

As Lloyd says: "It's very difficult to get across, through microphones or in column inches, just how tough it is out there in the middle of a cricket match. It's a rough, tough game. The ball hurts you and the game can hurt you. But these players are ever mindful of the spirit of the game and the traditions of the game, and the respect that the game deserves."

FOR THE RECORD

First Test, Lord's: Australia 190 (Langer 40, Harmison 5-43) and 384 (Clarke 91, Harmison 3-54) beat England 155 (Pietersen 57, McGrath 5-53) and 180 (Pietersen 64no, McGrath 4-29) by 239 runs.

Second Test, Edgbaston: England 407 (Trescothick 90, Warne 4-116) and 182 (Flintoff 73, Warne 6-46) beat Australia 308 (Langer 82, Flintoff 3-52) and 279 (Lee 43no, Flintoff 4-79) by 2 runs.

Third Test, Old Trafford: England 444 (Vaughan 166, Warne 4-99) and 280-6 dec (Strauss 106, McGrath 5-115) drew with Australia 302 (Warne 90, Jones 6-53) and 371-9 (Ponting 156, Flintoff 4-71).

Fourth Test, Trent Bridge: England 477 (Flintoff 102, Warne 4-102), and 129-7 (Trescothick 27, Warne 4-31) beat Australia 218 (Lee 47, Jones 5-44) and 387 (Langer 61, Harmison 3-93) by 3 wkts.

Fifth Test, The Oval: England 373 (Strauss 129, Warne 6-122) and 335 (Pietersen 158, Warne 6-124) drew with Australia 367 (Hayden 138, Flintoff 5-78) and 4-0.

Men of the series: Andrew Flintoff and Shane Warne.

Player-by-player ratings: England's Ashes smashers, by Stephen Brenkley

Michael Vaughan

Next month the so-called official Rest of the World side play Australia in a so-called Super Test and Vaughan, the obvious captain, is not there. This makes a mockery of the affair, and the great and the good who selected the side are compromised. Unruffled, elegant, masterful, the Cary Grant of cricket captaincy. Batting occasionally brittle, now watch it go. 10

Marcus Trescothick

They said his feet were encased in concrete and he would be found out. In Somerset they can make concrete boots look like ballet pumps. He established the tone. No hundreds, three fifties but only one score under 20. He gave the start England needed by a combination of careful, unorthodox leaving, as if drawing curtains, and some thunderously effective strokeplay. 8

Andrew Strauss

Dismissed six times by Shane Warne, he still scored two hundreds and averaged close on 40. Only five players have made more runs for England after as many innings (36) - two of them became knights and the others were Herbert Sutcliffe, Wally Hammond and Denis Compton. The only graduate in the side, he talks and listens well, and his series diary should be a best-seller. 8

Ian Bell

Having been preferred to the grizzled veteran Graham Thorpe, the blue-eyed novitiate was always under intense scrutiny. In the end he responded to it like a choirboy confronted by a mobster. By The Oval it was no contest, but he was fearless at short leg, caught the most outfield catches, scored twin fifties in the Old Trafford Test and still has a future at this level. 5

Kevin Pietersen

Brings something new to international cricket in every way. The outrageous streak atop his head is matched by something similar in his batting. He will infuriate at times (and not only with his hair) but he played one of the all-time great innings last Monday at The Oval to defy critics. Ignore the flashiness, he is a diligent cricketer needing love and craving plenty of attention. 8

Andrew Flintoff

The collision of man and moment has just occurred. He is an instinctive yet increasingly intelligent cricketer who recognised what was at stake for him and the team. No praise can be too high for his achievements or the manner he went about attaining them. A great player, a wonderful competitor, the pleasantest of men. Freddie, naturally, is the side's bedrock. 10

Geraint Jones

The jokes about him only just outnumber the chances he missed (there were actually seven). But it is a tribute to him and the team that he kept going, often as if nothing had happened, when the Ashes seemed to be sitting right there on the floor. He scored crucial runs quickly, especially at Trent Bridge. The type of man you want to succeed. 6

Ashley Giles

The King of Spain was never more regal. He scored the winning runs in the Nottingham nerve-tingler and had his highest Test innings at The Oval. His 10 wickets were superficially expensive, but then money could not buy his classic dismissal of Damien Martyn at Old Trafford, the ball hitting the top of off stump. His post-Lord's soul-searching made him seem fragile, obviously among the greatest Ashes stunts ever pulled. 7

Matthew Hoggard

A faithful yeoman whose place seemed precarious, but that is to reckon without the team ethic. He came good with his swing at Trent Bridge and The Oval, where his tight bowling on the fourth morning's play tended to be overshadowed by Flintoff's muscular endeavours. If there has been a better eight not out than his to help win the match at Trent Bridge, then nobody has yet unearthed it. 7

Stephen Harmison

His second ball of the series rose menacingly and felled the left-handed opening batsman Justin Langer. The Aussies knew this was no picnic. Wickets dried up, but his role in inflicting pain and creating doubt was fundamental. Two dismissals at Edgbaston - an artful slower ball to get Michael Clarke and a last-ditch bouncer at the dogged Michael Kasprowicz - will live forever. 8

Simon Jones

There has not been a better swinger from the Welsh valleys since Tom Jones. His use of the older ball swept him from peripheral figure to main component of a polished attack. And it helped create confusion in Australian minds. A zealous competitor, the ankle injury which forced him to miss the final match was a blow this hardy soul did not deserve. He has come back before, and will do so again. 9

Paul Collingwood

Tough professional cricketer from Durham who is a symbol for the team: greater than the sum of the parts. He faced 51 balls and scored 10 while Pietersen carved away at the other end in the final Test at The Oval, and it was a crucial, stoic contribution. An important dressing-room figure, he had ached to be part of the Ashes and was granted his wish at the 11th hour. 5