Pat Cummins‘ Australian team was crowned the Test champions of the world on Sunday as they defeated Team India in the WTC Final 2023 at The Oval by a massive margin of 209 runs.
That was a big message sent across to England as Ashes series begins in four days’ time on Friday.
The Ashes 2023 promises to be one of the most anticipated series as Australia are coming on the high of winning the WTC while England, under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, have been in surreal winning, and scoring form in the Bazball era.
Australia are current holders of Ashes having defeated England at home in the 2021/22 series.
Often fans have wondered why the England vs Australia contest is called as Ashes. This is based on a historical anecdote that we will reveal to you today here, at The Cricket Lounge.
Why is England VS Australia Test series called The Ashes?
The term ‘Ashes’ was first used in 1882 after Australia defeated England at The Oval to win their first Test on English soil. A British newspaper in its obituary said that English cricket had died and its “body will be cremated and Ashes taken to Australia”. The term Ashes became so famous that later on, the then England captain Ivo Bligh promised to “regain those ashes”.
Since after the 1882 series, the England vs Australia Test series is labelled as Ashes and the two teams play for the Urn. The team which wins the series takes Ashes Urn home, and if a series gets drawn, then the current holder retains the urn.
“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,” this was the mock obituary of English cricket by a British newspaper lamenting England’s first home Test loss to Australia.
72 editions of the Ashes series have taken place. Australia has won 34 series while England is not far behind with 32 series wins while six series have ended in draw.
