I was reminded of this story as the England cricket team were playing Australia in The Ashes

For anyone who doesn’t follow cricket, The Ashes is more than a series

It’s tradition, rivalry, history, and theatre rolled into five-day Test matches played every couple of years between England and Australia

The name itself comes from a wonderfully dramatic moment in 1882, when Australia beat England at The Oval for the first time

A satirical obituary appeared in The Sporting Times declaring that English cricket had died, that “the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

From that moment on, the idea of “regaining the Ashes” became part of sporting folklore

Fast forward many years

Adam and I had the chance to present at the Melbourne Cricket Club while on a tour (to be clear, we didn’t play cricket)

After the meeting, we were given a guided tour of the stadium

The Aussies were brilliant hosts

Very welcoming

Very generous

And absolutely relentless with the banter

Which, of course, made it even better

We were taken out to see the pitch, sorry, the ground

And if you’ve never been to the MCG, it’s hard to describe just how big it is

It’s the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere

Vast. Iconic

Intimidating

Photos really don’t do it justice

Then came the instruction

“Don’t walk on the grass.”

A clear rule. Simple. Unambiguous

So what did I do?

Conclusion

Let’s just say that some lessons stick with you more vividly when they’re learned on hallowed turf, in front of Australians, at the home of The Ashes

And much like The Ashes itself, once you cross the line… you never quite forget it