Address: County Cricket Ground, Edgbaston Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B5 7QU

Phone: 0121-446 4422

Name: Edgbaston

Capacity: 17,500

End names: City End, Pavilion End

Home Team: Warwickshire

Directions: Birmingham New Street rail station is 1 ¾ miles away. Driving: From M6, junction 6 follow signs for A38(M) City Centre and then A38 south west through Queensway Tunnel, turn left at first traffic lights and then right at the roundabout onto the A441 (Pershore Road). From M40 - Join M42, leave at junction 3. Follow A435 through Kings Heath and turn left to Edgbaston.

Edgbaston is a happy hunting ground for the English when it comes to Test matches.

So far, 30 Tests have been played at the venue and England have lost just four times, two of which have been against the Australians.

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

The venue was recognised as a Test venue in 1902 and has since, apart from a gap between 1929 and 1946, always hosted Test matches.

The first Test at Edgbaston in 1902 was against Australia. It was a lively affair, despite the intervention of rain causing the match to end in a draw. The visitors were bowled out for just 36, half of which were scored by Victor Trumper - four ducks sat proudly on the scorecard. This total is Australia's lowest in all Test matches. While for the hosts, Wilfred Rhodes claimed seven wickets for just seven runs in 11 overs - this remains England's best bowling performance in one innings against any country at this ground.

England, under the leadership of Mike Denness, suffered their first defeat at Edgbaston in 1975 with a crushing victory by Ian Chappell's Australia by an innings and 85 runs. The 101 amassed in the first innings of this match is the lowest total scored by England against any opposition at this ground.

The last Ashes Test in Birmingham was the opening clash in the Ashes series in June 1997. England won by nine wickets, helped by a first innings knock of 207 from Nasser Hussain.