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.

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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.

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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).

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Biennial: Biennial is a term referring to a period of two years, much in the same way refers to 100 years. If an event occurs every two years, it can be said to occur biennially. This is commonly used in reference to legislative agendas in U.S. states (often as biennium), as many representatives are elected ...

Test cricket: Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. It is regarded by many players and fans as the ultimate test of playing ability (as compared to One-day International cricket). The name "Test" is thought to arise from the idea that the matches are a "test of strength" between the sides in...

England: :For an explanation of often confusing terms like England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom see British Isles (terminology)....

The Ashes related Images and Photos (experimental)

Near the Ashes of Friederick II the Great of Prussia (1712-86)	Return from the Ashes	Return of the Ashes of the Emperor to Paris 15th December 1840	Ashes of American Flags
From Autumn to Ashes - Holding a Wolf	His Ashes are Brought to Paris and are Taken to les Invalides	England Cricket 2005 Ashes Team	His Ashes are Brought to Paris and a Procession Takes Them Down the Champs Elysees
The Ceremony for the Return of Napoleon's Ashes in 1840