In 2009, just before the Ashes series, Nicky Bird guided the England cricket team around Ypres Salient. While inspecting the preserved trenches at Sanctuary Wood, and much impressed by their experience, several of the team said that if they were victorious against the Aussies it would be down to the stimulation of the tour, and the feeling of togetherness it inspired. But if they lost it would be Bird’s fault. They won. Unfortunately Andrew Flintoff missed the tour of the trenches as he had a previous engagement with some Belgian beer.