The Ashes

See more Spectator Sports. See best of London in United Kingdom.

With the satirical obituary for the death of English Cricket, 'the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia' printed in The Sporting Times in 1882, cricket's most celebrated rivalry was born. Alternately played in England and Australia, the series becomes the talk of the back pages – and sometimes the front – when played biennially.

When played in Australia, the Ashes tour can hit cricket grounds in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. Brisbane has the coolest address ever with Vulture Street, Woolloongabba, and has the 42 000 capacity to match the address. The MCG in Melbourne has great bounce and pace conditions for wickets and is the biggest venue with over 100 000 seats, while the Adelaide Oval is one of the most aesthetically pleasing venues with great wicket conditions. The Waca in Perth has a hard and fast track and has yet to produce an English win while the SCG in Sydney is one of the most famous venues in the world.

When the series comes to England the weather is going to play a part in proceedings, but if the Aussies bring the sunshine with them there are some great cricket grounds to be savoured. Edgbaston is the home of Warwickshire cricket, Old Trafford is the home of Lancashire cricket and also one of the wettest cricket grounds in Britain, while Trent Bridge is considered one of the best places in the world to watch cricket. Lord's is famous for the significant slope from north-west to south-east and the world's oldest permanent fixture between Eton and Harrow that dates back to 1805 and also the futuristic-looking Media Centre. The British Oval is a historic ground, with the largest playing area in Britain.

Wherever the Ashes is held, you can always be sure of a great atmosphere at the grounds. Australian and English relations are a great point of good-natured banter flinging between the two sets of fans and the fans' will for their team to win is infectious and adds a great edge to the spectacle as the two old foes go for it out on the pitch.

1 / 5 Review by contributing editor John Johnston