The few acres of turf that will decide whether the famous urn is kept by Australia or regained by England are already steeped in Ashes history.
In 1880, was the scene of England's first home Test match, it staged the game two years later which led to the creation of the Ashes, witnessed England's massive score of 903-7 in 1938 and, a decade later, Don Bradman's duck in his farewell appearance.
And, of course, for many English cricket fans, memories of four years ago which saw the urn regained (sparking open-top bus celebrations and a liberal sprinkling of gongs) always brighten the mood when times are gloomy.
But how do you win a Test at The Oval? The ground has a reputation for being something of a nightmare for bowlers, and that has been the case again this summer - with all four Championship matches drawn.
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And so the Edgbaston Ashes Test, essentially ruined by the rain despite England's best attempts to manufacture something special on the second and fourth days,
Monday provided a sobering passage of play for England's bowling attack, who managed to pick up just three wickets throughout. It was the home team's first really disappointing day since Cardiff.
When conditions are ripe for swing, James Anderson and Graham Onions are extremely potent, as we saw on Friday morning.
But if the wicket goes a bit flat, and if Andrew Flintoff - who oddly failed to take a wicket in this match - cannot produce one of his famous inspired spells, then it all gets a little bit easy for the Aussies.
The Headingley match is fast approaching on Friday, and - who saved his best bowling spell of the series for the almost redundant post-tea period on Monday - may not make the cut when the starting XI is announced on Tuesday..
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These are my marks out of 10 for the 22 players who drew the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
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Andrew Flintoff's Test career is running on vapours. When he bats, running between the wickets is a struggle. Every ball he bowls causes him pain, and when a team-mate gets a wicket he looks too exhausted to join in their celebrations.
So it would have been a wonderful thing for England's most passionate cricket supporters - the ones who turn up in their thousands at Edgbaston are exactly that - to see their hero sign off his Test career at the Birmingham ground with his sixth Test century.
Alas, it was not to be. But you can rest assured that 21,000 people will not forget the controlled aggression with which Freddie tormented Australia's bowlers on Sunday an innings which contained 10 commanding fours and a six that was no more than an elegantly lofted flick over mid-on.
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Ever wondered how Shane Warne got into poker? Well the now and part-time commentator recently described the game (poker, not cricket) as a "lifelong" hobby.
And one can be fairly certain that the Australian Test legend learnt much about bluffing, folding, holding and raising during the long rain delays he had to fill during tours of England - and anywhere else in the world where the weather held sway during his 145-Test career.
Interestingly, it has now emerged that the current England team enjoy a bit of five-card stud and Texas Hold 'Em when the covers are stretched across the outfield - as they were for the entirety of a frustrating third day at the Edgbaston Test.
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After the solemn realisation at the age of 12 that I might not be good enough to play cricket for England I decided that the next best thing, writing about cricket, would have to suffice as a career. That's what I've been doing for the 91Èȱ¬ Sport website since 2001, in which time the sport has changed immensely. You can also follow me on .
