Times on the Ashes

The Times newspaper has been covering the Ashes since the great cricketing rivalry between England and Australia began. From the day - May 14, 1877 - that a report was published of a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that was later recognised as the first Test match, to its slick, modern-day coverage with a team of writers, stunning colour photographs and instant online analysis, the paper has been there every step of the way. This book showcases some of the best Ashes coverage from the pages of The Times over almost 140 years and includes many of the most memorable matches, moments and players. It includes the sensational Bodyline series in 1932-33 that nearly split the Empire and the epic drama of the unforgettable Tests of 2005 when England finally won back the Ashes to the acclaim of the whole nation. The ruthless record-breaking exploits of Don Bradman are featured along with many other great individual contributions, including Jim Laker's 19 wickets at Old Trafford in 1956 and Ian Botham's Australia's staggering solo performances in 1981. There are chapters recalling memorable innings by the likes of Len Hutton, David Gower, Colin Cowdrey, Walter Hammond and Kevin Pietersen for England and from Greg Chappell, Ricky Ponting, Stan McCabe, Allan Border and Charles Macartney for Australia. The great bowlers are covered in full, too, from Dennis Lillee and Shane Warne to Alec Bedser and James Anderson and many more besides. All these great cricketers were fortunate to have their Ashes exploits recorded by some of the most celebrated names in cricket writing, including Times cricket correspondents John Woodcock, Mike Atherton, Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Alan Lee plus a host of other distinguished journalists who have written about cricket for The Times. With a foreword by Mike Atherton, the former England captain who is now the award-winning Times cricket correspondent, The Times on the Ashes is a unique record of a remarkable and enduring sporting rivalry.