If you’re a fan of the Ashes, you’ll already know this is about far more than just cricket. It is a symbol of fierce competition, history, and national pride between England and Australia. Since it first took place back in 1882, it has become one of the biggest, and most important, sporting events in the world. With roots that go back to a colonial past, the series has grown to the stage where it is one of the most eagerly anticipated competitions in the sporting calendar.
The story of The Ashes goes back to the shock Australian Victory over England at the Oval in 1882. The British press was far from supportive at the time and mocked the English team. They went as far as printing an obituary in The Sporting Times, declaring English cricket had died and that ‘the body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia’.
It was this tongue-in-cheek comment that gave birth to a legendary event. It was later that year that England toured Australia and the Australians presented England with a small urn that was said to contain the ashes of a burnt cricket bail. This then became the prize for every future series between the two nations.
Over more than a century, The Ashes has been responsible for producing moments that are nothing short of iconic. It has created sporting heroes, and it continues to define generations of players while remaining a focal point for fans.