Few sporting contests can match the history, drama and intensity of the Ashes.

What began with a satirical newspaper obituary after Australia’s victory at The Oval in 1882 grew into one of sport’s most fiercely contested prizes – and in 2027, as the rivalry marks 150 years since the very first Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, there has never been a better moment to tell its full story.

From Don Bradman’s mountains of runs and Harold Larwood’s Bodyline barrage to Ian Botham’s astonishing summer of 1981, Shane Warne’s Ball of the Century and the drama of 2005, History of the Ashes follows the contest from its nineteenth-century beginnings to Australia’s 4–1 victory in 2025–26, exploring the players, captains and turning points that have kept the urn at the centre of cricket’s imagination.

Packed with memorable stories, fascinating detail and the personalities who have brought the rivalry to life, this is the essential read for the 150th anniversary year – and for cricket’s most celebrated contest.