adelaide oval

Established: 1873
Capacity: 32,000
Floodlights: Yes
Ends: City End, Cathedral End
Home Team: South Australia
Head Groundsman: Les Burdett
Ashes History: 28 Tests; 15 Australia wins, 8 England wins, 5 draws
Ashes 2006/7: Second Test, 1-5 Dec

Set among gardens and trees and with the spire of St Peter's cathedral peeking over the grandstands, the Adelaide Oval has a strangely English feel for an Australian cricket ground.

Recent upgrades to The Oval have been carried out with due respect for the older stands and the famous scoreboard, and it remains one of cricket's most picturesque grounds.

But it has witnessed its fair share of controversy. The 1932/3 bodyline series hit crisis point in Adelaide when mounted police patrolled the boundaries to keep specatators in order.

Four years ago, Michael Vaughan struck a glorious 177 but his dismissal in the final over of the first day led to a trademark England collapse, the tourists eventually capitulating by an innings and 51 runs as the Australians moved into a 2-0 series lead.