The Little Book of the Ashes: Cricket's oldest, and fiercest, rivalry

Crickets oldest, and fiercest, rivalry!

No contest in cricket comes close to matching The Ashes for drama, passion and sporting theatre.

When England and Australia go head to head, two countries hold their collective breath and prepare for a roller-coaster ride of power, pride, pain and victory at all costs. But it's also about respect – a love of the game and the realisation that two great sporting nations are entwined through one of sport's greatest rivalries.

With over 135 years of Ashes history, here's a collection of the best quotes and defining moments – from 'Bodyline' to 'Botham's Ashes', from Lord's to the Gabba, from 'The Don' to 'The Barmy army'.

'England have only three major problems. They can't bat, they can't bowl and they can't field.'
- Martin Johnson's assessment at the start of the 1986-87 tour. England's recovery to win the Ashes later led Johnson to remark:
'Right quote, wrong team.'