The Ashes series is a highly regarded and historic cricket contest between England and Australia. The series originated in 1882 and has become one of the sport’s most famous and intense rivalries. Here is a brief history of the Ashes series.
The Birth of the Ashes (1882)
The Ashes series was born after England’s stunning loss to Australia at The Oval in London in 1882. A mocking article on English cricket was published in a British newspaper with the caption, The body will be cremated, and the ashes will be taken to Australia. As a result, the idea for the Ashes was created.
The First Ashes Series (1882-1883)
The inaugural Ashes series occurred in Australia between December 1882 and February 1883. England, captained by Ivo Bligh, set out to reclaim the “ashes.” Australia won the first Test, and in the second match England managed to win and England secured a narrow victory in the third Test as well and won the series 2-1.
The Urn
During the 1882-1883 series, a tiny terracotta urn was presented to Ivo Bligh, the English captain, by a group of Melbourne women. The urn was believed to contain the ashes of a cricket bail. It has since become a symbol of the Ashes and is displayed at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Museum at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
The Ashes Trophy
In 1998, the Ashes urn was deemed too fragile to travel to Australia for every series. To address this, the Ashes Trophy was introduced. It is a crystal replica of the urn and is presented to the winning team at the end of each series.
Notable Ashes Moments
The Ashes series has witnessed many memorable moments. Some of the notable highlights include England’s Bodyline series win in 1932-1933, Don Bradman’s remarkable batting performances, Jim Laker’s 19-wicket haul in a Test match in 1956, Shane Warne’s “Ball of the Century” in 1993, and many thrilling finishes and outstanding individual performances.
Overall Series Results
The Ashes series continues to captivate cricket fans worldwide with its rich history, intense rivalry, and enduring traditions. Since its inception, the Ashes series has been fiercely contested. England has won the Ashes 32 times, Australia has emerged victorious on 33 occasions, and the series has been drawn on six occasions.
The term “ashes” in cricket refers to the Ashes series, a long-standing and highly regarded Test cricket competition between England and Australia—the name given by a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, in 1882.
After Australia won a Test match against England on English soil for the first time. The newspaper humorously stated that English cricket had died. The obituary captured the public’s imagination. And when England toured Australia later that year. Ivo Bligh, the English captain, received a tiny urn that reportedly filled with the remains of the English cricket team. The body to be incinerated, and the ashes to be sent back to Australia.
