The Ashes is a historic and intense cricket rivalry between England and Australia. The series began in 1882 after England suffered a crushing defeat at home against Australia. The Sporting Times newspaper published a mock obituary declaring the death of English cricket, stating that the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.
When England toured Australia, the ashes became a reality – a pair of burnt bails were placed in an urn. The winning team is presented with a replica of the urn, while the original is housed at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) museum in London.
The rivalry has seen numerous iconic matches, including the 1948 Headingley Test where England’s second innings witnessed an impressive score of 365 runs for 8 wickets, giving them a commanding lead of 404 runs over Australia. The series has been marked by memorable comebacks and contrasting cricketing cultures, making it a crown jewel in cricket’s illustrious history.
The Ashes series is played every two years, with the winner claiming the prestigious Ashes urn. The series has been dominated by Australia in recent history, with England last holding the Ashes in 2017. The rivalry continues to captivate the hearts of cricket enthusiasts globally, with the 2023 series set to ignite the cricket world once again.