BRETT Lee and Andrew Flintoff have embodied the spirit of this unforgettable Ashes series by the way they have played their cricket.
The image of Flintoff down on his haunches consoling a shattered Lee after Australia lost the Edgbaston Test will remain the most poignant of the series.
"Flintoff consoling Lee at Edgbaston will remain in the memory like Mohammed Ali's quote when asked if he meant the terrible things he said about Joe Frazier," said veteran commentator Michael Parkinson.
"He looked at his inquisitor and said, 'Man, you understand nothin'. Fact is, we are two brothers trying to earn a living'.
"Fact is, the greatest sporting battles are fought between opponents who understand that respect is a much better ally than contempt."
Lee has become the most admired Australian player among the English team because of the way he applies himself, particularly when batting. He has been bruised all over this series yet his spirit is unbreakable.
And Flintoff is the Australians' favorite Englishman, primarily because, for all his on-field flamboyance, there is nothing showy about him in person.
His father, retired maintenance man Colin, says "Andrew has never liked bigheads."