The Ashes Series: The most dignified and celebrated test series played all over the globe

England is the country of origin for Cricket. It has given many legends to the cricketing world. From Sir Ian Botham to James Anderson, legendary cricketers have played for this side. But, the greatest entertainment for cricket lovers from more than a century is the Ashes test played between England & Australia.

Ashes series is the most dignified and celebrated test series played all over the globe. This century-old test tournament is played between the two biggest rivals in cricket, England and Australia. This series has kept people’s interest in test cricket. The Ashes trophy is held by the team, which wins the tournament held every year. There is a vibrant history of the Ashes, which justifies its tag as the best test bilateral tournament.

The origin of the idea

The idea of Ashes was never directly intended and came as a result of mocking in the press. The story goes back to 1882 when Australia was a British colony. Australia toured England but due to some situations, played only one match. The match was low-scoring, but the heroics of Australian player Fred Spofhorth lead his team to a glorifying and nail-biting finish.

Fans widely viewed this game and the media coverage increased when England lost. The Australian team was appreciated for its efforts and gained media attention. One of the newspapers mentioned how England’s defeat was evident to a dead body, and the Ashes would be taken to Australia. The wide criticism and mocking somewhat hurt England’s ego.

The new England Captain Ivo Bligh mockingly said that he would recover the Ashes in the next tour. Bligh succeeded in his campaign in recovering the Ashes. Then, in 1903 England’s captain Pelham Warner again promised to bring back the Ashes. This time, this term gained a lot of media attention and became famous.

What’s the idea behind the Ashes?

The Ashes trophy resembles the urn that carries the ashes of the losing team metaphorically. This trophy is not shared, and if a series is drawn, the defending team keeps the award. The series is organized every year by the respective cricket boards of England and Australia. It is played in both countries, alternating every year.

The Ashes aim at glorifying the rivalry between England and Australian cricket teams. The hype of this series every year keeps the test cricket fans amazed. It also seeks to bring the best players of both teams against each other.

Who’s the champion?

The Ashes have been played for the last 136 years. And it is difficult to say who the actual champion is. A total of 335 tests have been played out of which Australia has won the maximum of 136 trials, and England is far behind with 108 test wins. But, the difference in won matches doesn’t reflect on the overall series result. Out of 71 Ashes played, Australia has won 33 while England is just behind with 32 wins. The next Ashes are planned in 2021, and England is looking to settle the score.   

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