What is The Ashes?
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia, and it is considered one of the oldest and most famous rivalries in sport. The series gets its name from a mock obituary published in The Sporting Times in 1882, which stated that English cricket had “died” following a defeat to Australia and that “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”
Origin of The Ashes
The first official Ashes series was played in 1882, with England losing to Australia by two runs in the first Test match at the Oval in London. The series was played as a best-of-three format, with the first team to win two matches being declared the winner. Australia went on to win the series 2-1, and the “Urn” which is a small terracotta urn containing the ashes of a bail, it was presented to England captain Ivo Bligh by a group of Melbourne women, as a token of goodwill.
The Ashes series was played periodically throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with both England and Australia winning multiple series. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s that the series began to take on the significance it holds today. This was due to the increased television coverage of the sport, which brought the rivalry to a wider audience.
The 1970s and 1980s saw the fortunes of both teams fluctuate, with England and Australia winning several series each. However, it was during this period that the series began to be played in a more regular schedule, with the teams playing each other every two years.
In the 1990s, Australia dominated the series, winning four consecutive Ashes series between 1989 and 2002. However, England began to rebuild its team and in 2005, they won their first Ashes series in 18 years. This was led by the captaincy of Michael Vaughan and the performances of Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen and the bowlers, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff. This was considered one of the most dramatic series in the history of the Ashes.
Recent Games
The 2010-2011 series saw England retain the Ashes on home soil for the first time since the 1989 series. They won the series 3-1, but the following 2013-2014 series in Australia saw Australia reclaim the Ashes with a 5-0 whitewash.
The most recent series in 2021-22 was won by Australia. Australia retained the Ashes by winning the first three Test matches. The fourth Test ended in a draw, with Australia winning the fifth Test by 146 runs to win the series 4–0.
The Ashes series has a rich history and tradition, and it continues to be one of the most highly-anticipated and competitive series in international cricket. It remains a symbol of the fierce rivalry between England and Australia and continues to captivate audiences around the world.
