Roll up, roll up, it's Ashes time! And what a summer it promises to be. Day after day of famous names slugging it out. Watch the drama and history unfold. It is gruelling work but well worth the effort. Never mind the cricket, we are talking about the Ashes after-dinner speaking circuit. These days it is big, big business and the calendar is chock-full over the next few weeks.

If you think the epic 2005 Ashes series revitalised England v Australia as a spectacle that is nothing to what it did to the Ashes as a commercial vehicle. If you want to raise money, just use the A-word.

The Ashes is no longer simply part of the sporting calendar but part of the heritage industry.

Past players are attractive enough commodities but the gilt-edged assets are those taking part in the forthcoming series and their names are being used to sell seats and fill halls all over the country. It is a wonder some players have time to play any cricket at all.

As always, the Aussies got off to a flyer. The Ricky Ponting Foundation - several Ashes functions are wholly, or partly arranged, for charitable purposes - launched its first fundraiser on May 18.

Every run the Australia captain scores during the series is to generate money for one of his foundation's benefactors.

The Ponting Foundation is also in action during the Ashes, with a dinner at a swanky restaurant on London's South Bank on July 13, the day after the scheduled finish of the first Test and three days before the second Test at Lord's.

"The very Australian Ricky Ponting leads a star-studded dinner," the foundation's website states, and Ponting is clearly confident enough of relations still being amicable with the Poms that he lists seven current England players among the invitees (though perhaps he has invited seven because he's not sure which ones will still be talking to him by then). A platinum table is yours for £2,650.

Not to be outdone, Andrew Flintoff has already got an Ashes dinner under his belt, so to speak. His Ashes preview evening in Nottingham on June 9 was timely given that he had only returned to bowling in the nets two days earlier.

Those who doubt Flintoff's ability to last the series should be heartened by the confidence with which he has committed to the evening itinerary. The Flintoff Foundation (another charity) intends a launch on July 21 (more details to follow) and on August 13, two days after the fourth Test, Big Fred will be in London supporting Lancashire team-mate Gary Keedy's benefit year.

Flintoff will be there reflecting on the first four npower Tests, the promotional puff promises. "Join England's talisman," it advises, "as he answers all your questions and hopefully goes on to lift the Ashes." Well, here's hoping.

Nor is the England captain doing without a dash of the Ashes in his benefit season. Today, Andrew Strauss himself and Kevin Pietersen are advertised for a benefit dinner at London's Guildhall.