Melbourne (MCG)

The world's largest cricket stadium, and the ground to have hosted the second-largest number of Tests (94) after Lord's. Situated in the pleasant surroundings of Yarra Park, some of the Yarra trees there were planted by members of the first English team to tour Australia in 1862. The stadium was the first in the southern hemisphere to stage an Olympic Games in 1956, and today is an imposing three-tiered monument to Melbourne's status as the 'capital' of Australian sport. Current ground redevlopment work will cut the capacity during England's visit to a mere 75,000.

The MCG staged the first ever Test match in March 1877, when Australia beat England by 45 runs. Some England players were accused of deliberately losing the game so that their odds of winning the 2nd Test (which was played a fortnight later) would lengthen and they could bet on themselves to win. Nothing, it seems, changes too much.

Also hosted the first ever one-day international, between Australia and England in January 1971.