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The Ashes: It's All About the Urn

England vs. Australia: ultimate cricket rivalry

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The Ashes: It's All About the Urn

By: Graeme Swann
Narrated by: Graeme Swann
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About this listen

 An entertaining look at one of sport's greatest rivalries - The Ashes - by former England spin bowler Graeme Swann.

Graeme Swann leads us on a compelling adventure through one of world sport's most engrossing rivalries. He knows as much as anybody about the heat of England v Australia battles, having played in three series wins and also the whitewash defeat of 2013-14 when its intensity ended his international career. However, it brought out some of his best displays in Test cricket.

But he is just one of dozens of colourful characters to have added their chapters to this great tome. The mock obituary of English cricket in the Sporting Times of 1882 was the forerunner of summers and winters of heaven and hell, depending on which side of the divide you were situated. When it comes to on-field relations nothing quite compares to the over-my-dead-body feel of the Ashes.

From Grace to Sir Don, the most graceful of them all. From the foulest play to the fairest - contrast the 1932-33 Bodyline series affair to the image of Andrew Flintoff hunched over a distraught Brett Lee in 2005. From Ray Illingworth's famous walk-off in the Seventies, when an England team-mate was assaulted by a spectator, to Steve Waugh's hugely emotional lap of honour when he retired a quarter of a century later. Swann's book will reveal the magic of a series that first gripped him in his front room in Northampton as an aspiring spin bowler in the mid-1980s.

(P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Australia & Oceania Australia, New Zealand & Oceania Cricket Sports Sports History Celebrity England
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Well done Swanny, I really enjoyed this and thanks for making the effort to read the whole book, it made it more personal. This book really brings the Ashes to life.

Why we all love the Ashes.

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It's a good book for cricket fans, spoilt or improved, depending on your point of view, by Swann's incessant attempt at impressions. He also reads this rather quickly which in some ways spoils the enjoyment and gives little time to digest the facts/tale/figures before he's jumped onto the next.

He might be a slow bowler but he speaks fast !

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I absolutely loved it
A brilliant story and Graeme swanns emery makes it even better

Brilliant story

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Was expecting more from a man that always has something to say and places himself in high regard

was expecting more

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Was excited given the reviews but up until the last 2 chapters is very dull and a really tough listen. Really was a snooze fest

Waste of 6-8 hours

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