As England edge closer to picking up that famous urn at the Oval, the eyes of Downing Street are also glued to Channel 4, writes Oliver King. Not only because many of the backroom staff are cricket fans, but also because the result will determine the prime minister's diary tomorrow. A victory parade is being planned for Trafalgar Square and there are strong rumours astir that the prime minister wants in on the action and will ask the team to stop off at No 10.
To watchers of Tony Blair this should be no surprise. Modern politicians jump on sporting triumphs as an ideal opportunity to wrap themselves in the national feelgood factor they engender. At this Tony Blair is a past master.
While away in China he was careful both to send and also to publicise a letter wishing Michael Vaughan all the best for the final Test. As he watches the match draw to a close in his den this afternoon he must be thankful that he hasn't jinxed the side.
He's been here before of course. He invited England's rugby world cup victors to Downing Street following another famous triumph over the Australians. But given the fragility of England's batting earlier in the day he might also have looked at his words following the England football team's failure in Euro 2004 and the 2002 world cup.
Cricket isn't really Mr Blair's sport. It's far more strongly associated with his Downing Street predecessor as John Major's hilarious poem showed last week. Football comes much easier to the PM and also to his neighbour. Gordon Brown is genuinely mad on football and will talk for hours about it socially. If success continues for the cricket team, a game few Scots understand or like, the chancellor could in future find himself in the position Tony Blair is in this evening: how to bask in the reflected glory? A tip for the would-be PM - he should watch Tony Blair tomorrow and learn.
