Monday 31 July 2017 17:04, UK
England's players were heroes on and off the pitch as they championed Sky Ocean Rescue before winning the third Test against South Africa at the Kia Oval by 239 runs.
Joe Root's team backed the campaign, which aims to reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans, and found allies in Sky Sports' commentators who helped to distribute over 20,000 re-usable water bottles to fans attending the match.
On day one of the 100th Test at the Oval alone, 60 per cent less bottled water was sold than on the same day in 2016 - a significant step forward in Surrey's goal of reducing the amount of single-use plastic used at the iconic ground.
Check out some of the best bits of our coverage during the Test - and please join us by keeping up the fight to protect the planet by being an Ocean Hero, adopting some of the tips outlined by Sarah-Jane Mee below! Check out the official SKY OCEAN RESCUE website and TWITTER FEED here.
Pundits tap into bottle giveaway
Sky Sports pundits rolled up their sleeves to help distribute re-usable water bottles to cricket fans during the Test, autographing plenty in the progress. It's unclear who was more surprised - supporters at getting the chance to meet the likes of Sir Ian Botham and David Lloyd, or the pundits themselves who reported seeing Nasser Hussain give something away for free for the first time.
"There's too much plastic knocking about," explained Bumble. "So we're here to raise awareness and keep plastic out of the oceans." Speaking to one fan, and pointing him in the right direction, Lloyd added: "You can only put water in there, old chap! You'll find 20 water stations around the ground."
Ocean hero Shaun Pollock said: "Hopefully people now have a greater understanding of what is going on - once you are aware, your human side kicks in and you want to make sure you are not causing harm."
Sarah-Jane Mee's talks rubbish (literally)
Former Cricket AM presenter SJ - now esteemed Sky News presenter, of course - dropped into the studio to explain why she has become "a bit of a Sky Ocean Rescue Warrior" and give an insight into how she's changed her lifestyle to help make a difference, even offering Nasser some discounted biodegradable bin-bags!
"We started this eight months ago when our studio at Sky News was filled with plastic bottles," she said. "I remember thinking 'this is a bit over-dramatic' but that was the amount of plastic that in that day would have been tipped into the ocean."
As a result, SJ no longer drinks from single-use plastic bottles, doesn't use wet wipes to remove make-up and definitely turns down straws when out drinking at bars! Watch the video to find out more about how Sky News' campaign has helped foster change at organisations like Coca Cola.
'Let's banish single-use plastic'
Where better to make a statement of such global significance than at an iconic stadium hosting its 100th Test? With the Kia Oval committed to becoming single-plastic free, and entertaining an average of 25,000 people a day, Sky and Surrey teamed up to try and inspire change.
Surrey Chief Executive Office Richard Gould explained how The Oval wants to be at the forefront of transforming plastic usage. "We started on the path a couple of years ago when we got rid of the disposable plastic glasses and replaced them with the eco-cups," he said. "As an example this year that would have saved something like one million plastic disposable glasses.
"So when Sky came to us and shared their vision we were delighted that we could help out because we all want to do the right thing but sometimes we need a bit of education, a little bit of a prompt to make sure that single-use plastic is banished."
Check out the official SKY OCEAN RESCUE website and Twitter feed here
