There’s no pleasing some people. The generous souls in charge of business at Edgbaston had barely finished unveiling their Great Ashes Giveaway – for a mere £165 a day, they proudly announced, devotees would have the honour of watching next summer’s England-Australia contest from the zoo-like Hollies Stand – when the entire cricketing world, together with its maiden aunt and pet dog, accused them of naked profiteering.

It might have been enough to drive a well-meaning executive to drink, had alcohol not already caused more than its share of problems in the higher echelons of the summer game.
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