The Ashes is the name of the Test cricket series that is played between England and Australia. It is played biennially, alternately in England and Australia. In a typical ‘Ashes’ series, there are five Test matches, two innings per match. The matches are played as per the regular rules for international Test-match cricket. Looking back into the history of the ‘The Ashes’, one of the oldest international contests in cricket, one finds that it dates back to the year 1882, the year when Australia gave England its first home defeat.
In the year 1882, English was beaten on its home soil for the first time, by the Australian cricket team, led by WL Murdoch. In an unfathomable match, with no precedents, England team was beaten by seven runs, with an innings that had fast bowler Fred Spofforth taking 14 wickets for 90 runs. This was when the legendary cricketer WG Grace was still a part of the team. The very next day of England’s defeat, a mock obituary was published in the Sporting Times, “in remembrance of England’s cricket.
The obituary read “In Affectionate Remembrance of ENGLISH CRICKET, which died at the Oval on 29th AUGUST, 1882, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P. N.B. - The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.” The ashes, which were only mythical at that point of time, became a reality in Australia tour 1882-83, which England team went to participate in. After beating Australia in the tour, Hon Ivo Bligh was presented with an urn containing the burnt remains of a ball.
1876-1900
1901-1925
1926-1950
1951-1975
1976-2000
Since 2001
Summery
S# MATCH TOTAL AUSTRALIA WON ENGLAND WON TIED DRAWN/NR
1. Test 354 149 110 - 95
2. ODI 152 84 63 2 3
3. T20I 20 10 9 - 1
One Day Internationals (ODIs) records (Since 1971)
Total match - 152
Australia won - 84
England won - 63
Tied - 2
No Result - 3
First Match: Only ODI; Australia won by 5 wickets at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Jan 5, 1971
Last game: 3rd ODI in ICC CWC Super League 2020-22; Australia won by 3 wickets at Old Trafford, Manchester on Sept. 16, 2020.
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) records (Since 2005)
Total match - 20
Australia won - 10
England won - 9
No Result - 1
1st Match: Only T20I; England won by 100 runs at The Rose Bowl, Southampton - June 13, 2005
Last Match: 26th Match in 2021 ICC T20 World Cup; Pakistan won by 10 wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Oct. 30, 2021.
If the series is drawn, the team that currently holds the Ashes retains the trophy. There have been 72 Ashes series: Australia have won 34, England won 32 and six series have been drawn.
Ashes, symbol of victory in the usually biennial cricket Test (international) match series between select national teams of England and Australia, first staged in 1877. Its name stems from an epitaph published in 1882 after the Australian team had won its first victory over England in England, at the Oval, London.
How much is it worth? The real urn resides at the MCC Museum at Lord's and it highly unlikely it will ever be sold. However, fans can purchase a replica via the Lord's website for £55.
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