The England cricket team has won the Ashes—again. As in 2005, Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff played a key role, but this time there's a welcome sense of sobriety over the achievement. The hangover from the celebrations four years ago lasted way too long, and the England team was trounced by the Australians down under in 2006–7. This time, the English captain, Andrew Strauss, and the manager, Andy Flower, both seem to recognize that much work still remains if England is going to become the best cricket team in the world.

I've always liked Andrew Strauss: undemonstrative, professional, very determined. He's not flashy and he's a serious individual. In a world that seems to like flash and craves moments of genius, he goes about his job with the minimum of grandstanding and the maximum of determination. His approach has now paid off.