English cricket rises from the Ashes – thanks to New Zealand

If England beat Australia this summer they will have the Kiwis to thank for inspiring a new attitude on and off the field

Brendon McCullum and Jos Buttler
(Image credit: Adrian Dennis / AFP)

If England manage a miracle this summer and somehow wrest the Ashes from Australia's grasp, cricket fans should raise a glass to Brendon McCullum and his vibrant New Zealand touring side, for it is the Kiwis who have helped breathe new life into a moribund England team.

The fearless brand of cricket pedalled by the Kiwis has rubbed off on the English, who have gone toe-to-toe with the tourists, and that in turn has whetted the public's appetite for the summer's main event – a key consideration given cricket's declining media profile.

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