Fans urged to sing Jerusalem

England supporters have been urged to sing Jerusalem prior to the start of the fifth npower Ashes Test © Getty Images

Test sponsor npower is fronting a campaign to get the whole country singing 'Jerusalem' at 10.25 on Thursday as the England cricket team take to the field at the Brit Oval for the fifth and final Ashes battle against Australia.

To get behind England, and help generate a greater sense of occasion for Michael Vaughan and his team, npower is urging the nation from offices to schools to down tools for five minutes and sing the song that is traditionally played at the ground minutes prior to an npower Test match.

Channel 4 will play the historic hymn live from the ground at 10.25 on Thursday.

Jerusalem is considered the anthem of the England cricket team © Getty Images

'Jerusalem', which featured in the Top 20 of the BBC's Songs of Praise hunt for Britain's favourite hymn, has accompanied the team onto the pitch as they take to the field since 2003.

William Blake's historic song has helped to capture the emotion and glory of Test match cricket this summer.

Michael Vaughan has supported the campaign, saying: "The backing of the country is like having a 12th player on the field and the thought of having the whole country singing a song as emotive as Jerusalem is something that will get the boys stirred up just as we come out onto the field."

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