Please, Americans, do not be fooled by my compatriot. You could easily waste your short time on this planet by getting into Cricket.
Each match lasts as long as Creation, which is the only explanation for some people calling it "God's sport".
What he hasn't told you is that apart from each match lasting 5 days, the Ashes is a series of 5 (or is it 6?) matches. That's longer than the whole Olympics!