England's five-a-day men

Ashley Giles: bananas about fruit © Getty Images

It wasn't so long ago - the summer of 2003, in fact - that the England & Wales Cricket Board decided that the best way to keep cricket alive in this country was to "sex it up". James Anderson led the charge with his ill-advised go-faster hair-stripe, while a series of lifestyle profiles were commissioned, featuring the likes of Simon Jones and Marcus Trescothick in chiselled, arty poses, answering questions ranging from bat-care to skincare.

Two years later, and the true elixir for the game has been revealed. All it takes is a winning team, and the endorsements start to roll in. According to a leading sports marketer, Andrew Flintoff will take his off-field earnings into the millions if England avoid defeat at The Oval this week. And as for the rest of them, there will at least be plenty fresh fruit to take home to the family.

It's not exactly sexy, but it is very wholesome, and that is the image the ECB are happy to cultivate, after forging a partnership with the Department of Health to promote the virtues of fresh fruit and veg. Anderson, back in the squad as a replacement for Simon Jones, had no red stripe this time, but Ashley Giles had a bunch of bananas on his head instead, as the "5 a day" scheme was launched at The Oval on Tuesday morning.

"This wonderful Ashes series has caught the public's imagination and created enormous interest in cricket," said the ECB chairman, David Collier, as England's bowlers gathered round a large bowl of fruit for a photocall. "It is our job to capture this enthusiasm and translate it into more people playing cricket and staying healthier. It also means using the power of cricket to promote important messages that everyone who plays cricket should follow, such as eating well and staying fit."

At the other end of the ground, Marcus Trescothick was being tapped up for another worthy cause, as he received the NSPCC Standards award, in recognition of the ECB's commitment to child protection, via its Safe Hands programme - a scheme that was set in motion two years ago.

"As a father I completely understand the importance of developing a safe setting for kids to participate in sport and in particular cricket," said Trescothick. "The welfare and protection of all young people in our sport is of paramount importance and through the Safe Hands programme this Standards award recognises the effectiveness of this important project."

Sven-Goran Eriksson is expected to visit The Oval for the second day's play, as cricket - temporarily at least - takes over from football as the most-talked-about sport in England. But for now, it seems, England's cricketers have been identified as the sorts of role-models for the young that the footballers have conspicuously failed to be. And it is utterly unsexy, which is precisely the point.