Graveney's new delivery left alone by commuters

Twenty-four hours after his team slumped to arguably the worst defeat in its history, you might have expected the English game's chairman of selectors to be keeping a low profile.

Instead, David Graveney was up at 4am to drive from Bristol and stand among the rush-hour crowds at London's Waterloo station, doling out free magazines to commuters.

Graveney, as head of the Professional Cricketers' Association, was there to launch Cricnet, a new, glossy publication produced by players, with the twin aims of attracting new enthusiasts to the game and raising money for the players' union. "Now's not the time to shy away," he said. "It's time to stand up and be counted."

Any passing Australians spotting Graveney next to a pile of around 2,000 magazines, with the still-crocked Andrew Flintoff on the cover and a chance to win a contract with the county champions, Surrey, for next year within, would perhaps have thought that Christmas had come early. But focusing, perhaps wisely, on lifestyle and personalities rather than on-field events, the magazine is looking to take the game to a younger market.

Far from being lynched by sleep-deprived fans, Graveney and his colleagues' main problem yesterday was being noticed at all. Even the hero of England's last win against the old foe, back in 1987, could excite only passing interest.

"This," I pointed out to a punter wheeling away with his free magazine, "is the last man to win the Ashes for England."

"Oh," he said, not visibly overawed at the sight of Gladstone Small. "Thanks very much, mate."