Author(s): David Frith (photography Patrick Eagar)

Sport

A blow-by-blow account of the greatly anticipated 2005 Ashes series. Includes in-depth day-by-day analysis of all limited-overs internationals and Tests complete with scorecards and statistics. An essential souvenir of the tour. Since the first Test match staged in Melbourne in 1877, generations have been thrilled, beguiled, frustrated and consumed by Australia versus England Test cricket. It is the greatest sporting encounter between two nations in the modern age. The forthcoming five-match Test series, being played in England over almost eight frenetic weeks between July 21 and September 12, is marked by the sharpest sense of anticipation ever known in the long history of Ashes cricket. Most pundits regard the Australian team as the finest the world has ever seen, 'The New Invincibles'. Under Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh before him, Australia comfortably defeated all-comers, home and away. It has no apparent weakness. However, potentially a great challenge awaits Ponting s Australians as they put their world champion s title on the line against a rampant England side - the only unbeaten Test team in the world in 2004 - desperate to reverse its losing run of eight consecutive Ashes series since 1989. Battle for the Ashes 2005 will be the must-have book about the series. About the Author: David Frith has published twenty-five books on cricket. Historian, archivist, interview and writer, he is also the former editor of The Cricketer and founder of Wisden Cricket Monthly. First published November 2005.