England v Australia, Second Test, 4-8 August 2005 County Cricket Ground, Edgbaston Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Take a virtual tour of Edgbaston

Edgbaston has hosted the first Test in the series on each of the last two occasions Australia have travelled north, but this year it has been pushed back to the second.

The ground was originally a meadow used as grazing land before its owner, Lord Calthorpe, authorised its lease for cricket purposes.

Edgbaston was recognised as a Test venue in 1902, however it hosted only four matches up until 1957, two of which were against Australia including that very first match when Wilfred Rhodes claimed 7-17 in a drawn match.

But Warwickshire's 1951 Championship triumph provided new impetus and, with significant ground redevelopment, regular Test cricket finally arrived six years later.

Memorably so, as England's highest-ever partnership - a fourth wicket stand of 411 between Peter May and Colin Cowdrey against the West Indies - saved the match and contributed to Sonny Ramadhin's ultra-marathon match analysis of 129-51-229-9 in 1957.

Nearly 50 years on, Edgbaston is a regular on the Test rota, and is England's most successful home venue.

They also enjoy a winning-record against Australia, a head-to-head advantage they can only also boast at The Oval.

But if England are to maintain that advantage history suggests a home batsman will need to score big runs.

In each of their last two victories at the ground someone has scored a double century, David Gower (215) in 1985 and Nasser Hussain (207) in 1997.

2001 flashback: Rampant Australia crush England

Most recently, three years ago, no English batsman reached triple figures while three Australians did in a crushing first Test victory that set them on their way to winning the Ashes.

Tickets

The first four days are sold out but tickets for the Monday can be booked by calling 00870 062 1902 or at

Stat pack

40 Tests
England: 20 wins; 7 defeats; 13 draws

Highest score: 285*
Peter May; England v West Indies 1957
Best bowling (innings): 7-17
Wilfred Rhodes; England v Australia 1902
Best bowling (match): 12-119
Fred Trueman; England v West Indies 1963
Record partnership: 411
Peter May & Colin Cowdrey (4th wkt); England v West Indies 1957

FRINDALL'S FASCINATING FACT Venue of the first ball-by-ball radio commentary of a complete cricket match when BBC broadcast the 1957 West Indies Test Stump the Bearded Wonder