The Ashes

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The Ashes is a biennial Test cricket contest played between England and Australia. The Ashes is one of cricket's fiercest and most celebrated rivalries. The 2005 Ashes series was played in England, and was won by England. Australia had held the Ashes for 18 years prior to that. The next Ashes series will be in Australia in 2006/2007; the next series (in England) will be in 2009.

Related Topics:
Biennial - Test cricket - England - Australia - 2005 Ashes series - England - Australia - 2006 - 2007 - 2009

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The series is named after a satirical obituary published in The Sporting Times in 1882 following the match at The Oval, in which Australia beat England in England for the first time. The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The English media dubbed the next English tour to Australia as the quest to regain The Ashes. A small terracotta urn was presented to the England captain Ivo Bligh by a group of Melbourne women after England's victory in the Test series. The urn is reputed to contain a set of burnt bails symbolising "the ashes of English cricket". While the urn has come to symbolise the Ashes series, the name The Ashes predates the existence of the urn. The urn is not used as the trophy for the Ashes series, and whichever side "holds" the Ashes, the urn remains in the MCC Museum at Lord's. Since the 1998/99 Ashes series, a Waterford crystal trophy has been presented to the winners.

Related Topics:
Satirical - Obituary - 1882 - The Oval - England - Australia - Terracotta - England captain - Ivo Bligh - Melbourne - Bails - Trophy - MCC - Lord's - 1998 - 99 - Waterford crystal

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Notable Ashes series took place in 1932/33 (the Bodyline tour), 1948 (Sir Donald Bradman's "Invincibles" Australian side), 1981 (in which an England team spearheaded by Ian Botham won a thrilling series), and 2005 (when England eventually won the Ashes back, after a 'drought' of 18 years).

Related Topics:
1932 - 33 - Bodyline - 1948 - Sir Donald Bradman's - Invincibles - 1981 - Ian Botham

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