This is the Friends of History Debating Society. I'm John Batchel in North America, where it is

blazing summer. So summery is it, John? I needed to eat a popsicle before I came in to talk to

Jeremy from the garden. That's how hot it is. However, I've recovered from my popsicle, and now I'm

prepared for news about cricket.

A hot contest later this year when Ashes resumes, and this time in Australia.

However, I have discovered three participants will be in the fans,

will be in the stands for the games, for the tests.

They are in order of seniority.

Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, huge cricket fans. Jeremy, everybody so far who follows cricket I've talked to, nobody knew this. Nobody, including me, of course,

now maybe Claude is making it up, but there it is. They were big cricket fans. It's logical,

if you think about it, they were Englishmen. I mean, they spent their, well, Lincoln was,

and Lincoln was an American, but still there was no baseball

before the Civil War goes the story because it was invented by Abner Doubleday who was busy

at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. But Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, you know,

if that had been marketed correctly, maybe there would have been a peace treaty

as opposed to the Revolutionary War.

Did you know this, Jeremy?

No, honestly, John, I didn't, but when you think about it logically, it now makes perfect

sense.

And I dare say that maybe if cricket had had taken off instead of the ashes between

being between Australia

and England, it could be between Australia and America, which would be a totally different

...