Freddie Flintoff's 2nd Innings at Nottingham's Theatre Royal

This was the tour to mark the 10th anniversary of England's cricketers winning the Ashes against all expectations ten years ago.

It might seem only yesterday we saw the inebriated Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff stagger out of the hotel and onto the open top bus for the team's parade around London.

But a lot has changed in that time, not just the haircuts (remember Pietersen's badger hairdo?) but the team, its fortunes and its prospects.

The start of the show gets off to a flyer with the famous footage, and Flintoff's account of the 24-hours after securing cricket's most sought-after trophy.

It mainly involves celebrations through drink, realising he was still in his whites after the night flew by so quickly, and his wife having to undress, bath and then dress him again before meeting the public.

Of course, during the course of the morning more drink was available and he recalls the hilarity of visiting then prime minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street with his team-mates the same day.

It's not all about celebrations though. We relive the all-rounder's last day as a Test cricketer, playing when he knew his knee wouldn't hold out very much longer. When he took the wickets and sunk to the ground, arms outstretched and eyes closed, it wasn't our of bravado... more to soak up the sounds, the smells, and the atmosphere – something he'd never do as a top-level player again.

Keeping the audience in stitches with some well-chosen tales, we know which of his former team-mates is called racehorse – and why.

The born entertainer recounts his time since retirement from the game, taking us through the jungle, where he was crowned King in Australia's version of Get Me Out of Here and reliving his one-bout boxing career.

He's onstage alongside journalist and friend Clyde Holcroft. The memories and laughs they conjure up serve to remind us why so many children and pets were named Freddie in 2005.

 

Dickie Bird in conversation at The Approach, Nottingham

As Nottingham's festival of Test Match cricket rolled into town, a select few were treated to an audience with the world-famous former umpire Dickie Bird.

From the outset he revelled in tales from the very earliest days of young men's dreams playing with Geoff Boycott and Michael Parkinson as teenagers. He still seems genuinely surprised – and proud – that the trio all made it into the national consciousness.

Harold D Bird OBE is a national treasure. Compere John Gwynne told us so, but he didn't really need to.

More frail than we remember him, Dickie explained how he'd had a serious stroke six years ago – one which debilitated him, robbed him of movement both on the right and left of his body, and left him both depressed and anxious.

In fact the most obvious sign of the stroke now is an affliction Dickie identifies as "emotion". Several times during this intimate evening his voice cracked and he welled up with emotion, unable to go on overcome the realisation of his achievements and by the adoration of fans who turned out to The Approach the night before the Trent Bridge Test to hear his words of wisdom.

We learned he can name 30 better cricketers than his old pal Boycott. The former Yorkshire and England opener comes in for some good-natured stick but when pressed Dickie confides that the pair are actually very close friends to this day, and he'd never say anything detrimental. The best all-rounder in history was Gary Sobers. The Queen drinks Campari and soda. The red ball should be used in all forms of the game. The DRS wicket review system should be consigned to the dustbin.

This was his first function in four years, something born out of his new association with Yorkshire cricket club, for whom he used to bat, and where he is now President.

He said: "After the stroke I was down and out. And to be made president of Yorkshire County Cricket Club has given me a new lease of life. I've felt a new man, a different man – it's done me the world of good."

And it shows.

Ready for the Ashes? An Evening with Boycott & Aggers - Royal Centre Nottingham

So the good people of Nottingham were treated to the sight of Derek Randall being run out by Geoff Boycott at the 1977 Trent Bridge Test match not once, not twice but three times on the big screen at last night's pre-Ashes extravaganza.

Poor Derek. And it didn't elicit a single "boo" or hiss from the audience.

Perhaps that's because the kind of gentlefolk in the Concert Hall would have thought such a reaction as being just not cricket. Or perhaps it's because cantankerous old Sir Geoff is now something of a national treasure.

That's not to say he doesn't have skeletons in the closet... but as he freely admits: "Hold your hands up to your mistakes and move on".

Former cricketers and current Test match pundits Boycott and Jonathan Agnew are running a short tour around the UK before the Aussies hit town for the big one. The Ashes start in Nottingham on Wednesday and for those who, like me, are going along for a few days, this show was a must-see treat.

It's good for the soul hearing the former Yorkshire batsman (or batter, as they say these days) sound off about contemporaries and present-day players. Whatever you think of his opinions, you can't argue with his summing up after each memory, which goes something along the lines of "Well they're not as good as I was." (He went on to score over 100 after running out poor Randall).

He recalls playing alongside former umpire Harold "Dickie" Bird and journalist Michael Parkinson in their younger days, and answered audience-inspired questions about the best this, the top that, and what he thinks might happen this summer.

It was a great and welcome surprise to see former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson as special guest in the second half, playing to type with recollections spattered with slightly more unsavoury words than the northern hemisphere contributors might have used.

Another special guest was former Notts and England opener Chris Broad and his daughter Gemma, a performance analyst with the England squad. They were there to add their own insight into the Ashes summer, as well as drum up support for the Broad Appeal for Motor Neurone Disease, which claimed Chris's wife Miche.

A barnstorming performance from all concerned and a great appetiser for cricket fans.

Ready for the Ashes? We are now!