Pump up the volume: raucous Edgbaston hits perfect Ashes note| Ali Martin

England’s answer to the Gabba is an intimidating cauldron for visiting teams – Australia face a harsh opening TestA couple of miles south of Birmingham’s bustling Bullring sits the city’s very own bear pit, at least as far as visiting Australian cricketers are concerned.The Ashes begin on Thursday at Edgbaston, a ground where none of the current tourists have tasted victory bar their mentor Steve Waugh, who captained the last team to do so in 2001, and their coach, Justin