The Ashes is one of the oldest and most prestigious international cricket competitions, contested by England and Australia. Its noble past stretches into the late 1800s. As that third series came to be, it opened with a historic moment. On this day in 1882 Australia completed their first Test match victory on English soil. Following their stunning victory, English correspondent Reginald Shirley Brooks turned loose on the Sporting Times. In 1898 he famously published a mock “obituary,” poetically declaring the death of English cricket. Little did he know this epic satirical work would spark a dogged competition that has fans enraptured to this day.
Following their defeat, England’s captain Ivo Bligh famously promised to get the ashes back in a very English act of hubris. This is what he pledged to do during the upcoming Test series down under. His resolve was vindicated when England responded to win the series 2-1 completing a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the team. After their victory, a small urn was awarded to the England team, recognizing their win—and initiating the long-standing rivalry. This urn, known as “The Ashes,” has ever since symbolized the fierce rivalry between the two countries.
Since its inception, The Ashes series has been played approximately every two years, maintaining an enduring legacy in cricket history. The original urn, presumed to contain the ashes of some unidentified object, was gifted to the Marylebone Cricket Club. This donation was made at Lord’s in London in 1927. Sadly, that year, Ivo Bligh died. This next development ensured his place in the story of The Ashes.
The urn itself features an inscription that includes a six-line poem, which reflects on the early days of this iconic series. Though what’s really in it is still anyone’s guess, the bill has been the subject of a lot of rumor and innuendo over the past years. One such claim is that it contains the remains of Ivo Bligh’s mother-in-law’s wedding veil. Another assertion is that it holds the ashes of a bail used in the third Test of the series.
At the time of writing, there have been 73 Ashes series played, with Australia winning 34 of those matches. They’ve held onto the urn six times via drawn series. England has won 32 series and managed to retain the urn once, showcasing a closely matched rivalry that continues to evolve.
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