History of the Ashes

After the success and popularity of the 2005 Ashes,to be heading to another defeat as they were made
the English Cricket Board will be hoping for a repeatto follow on at Headingley. However, a mammoth
of those fortunes this summer.149 not out from Beefy, followed by a massive eight
Dating back to 1882-83, the Ashes is a Test serieswicket haul by Bob Willis, turned fortunes in England's
played between the national sides of Australia andfavour. After that win, England won two and drew
England. Its origins come from a newspaper statingthe last match to win the series 3-1. In all three of
that - after an English loss to Australia at the Oval inEngland's victories Botham was named man of the
1882 - English cricket had died and its body would bematch.
cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. TheThe 1932-33 tour of Australia is one that has gone
1882-83 series in Australia is considered the firstdown as a dark time in cricket history. So worried
Ashes series as the England team went on a questwere the English by the batting skills of Sir Donald
to regain the Ashes.Bradman that their bowlers set out to intentionally
After winning, England were handed a small urn withhurt Bradman - and the other Aussie batsmen - in
the ashes of a miscellaneous object - often throughthe hope of forcing them to give away their wicket
to be a bail - which is now found in the museum atcheaply or to retire hurt.
Lord's. A replica is given to the winning captain ofThe team that Australia brought to England in 1948 is
each series.widely regarded as the greatest Test side ever. Led
England had early dominance in the Ashes, winning 11by Bradman - and featuring players such as Sid
of the first 12 series. Australia's first win came in theBarnes, Ray Lindwall and Lindsay Hassett - the
ninth series - in 1891/92 in Australia - but they haveInvincibles became the first Test match side to go
since gained the advantage. Of the 64 completedundefeated for an entire tour, a total of 31 matches.
series, Australia has won 31 to England's 28 (with fiveThis series saw The Don play his last ever Test
drawn series) and this is helped a lot by recent formmatch and he went out to bat for the final time at
where Australia has defeated England in nine of tenthe Oval to a standing ovation. Needing just four runs
attempts.to record a staggering career average of 100,
That failed attempt, of course, came in 2005 whenBradman was bowled second ball without scoring
English cricket dominated the sports news andleaving his average stuck on 99.94.
Michael Vaughan lifted the urn. The series is sure toThe npower Ashes series are currently five games
go down in history alongside Botham's Ashes, thelong, having temporarily gone up to six and seven,
Invincibles and the Bodyline Series.while they started as just a three-match series. The
Botham's Ashes - in 1981 - are so called because of2009 series will retain the five-Test format and will
the heroic efforts of Sir Ian Botham. Regarded as byopen at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff- which will be the
far the best player of the series, Botham - or Beefy,first ever Test match played there as England look
as he was nicknamed - turned the Ashes around.to make it two from two on home soil.
After one drawn game and one loss, England looked