The Ashes returns: everything you need to know about Australia’s blockbuster rivalry with England | Cricket News

The Ashes, a historic cricket rivalry between Australia and England, has been the cornerstone of Test cricket for over a century. This prestigious competition comes from an obituary in a satirical newspaper in 1882 and is represented by a small urn.The upcoming five-match series continues this long-standing tradition between the two cricketing powers.

The Ashes originated in 1877, when the first cricket tests between English and Australian teams began. The term “Ashes” appeared in August 1882 after a satirical obituary appeared in the Sporting Times following England’s first home defeat by Australia.The obituary suggested that England cricket would be cremated and his ashes taken to Australia. England captain Ivo Bligh then led a team to Australia, promising to recover these symbolic ashes.A fan presented Bligh with a small terracotta urn after an England victory, establishing the physical symbol of the Ashes. Bligh met his future wife during this tour and they moved to England with the urn, which remained in their family until it was donated to the Marylebone Cricket Club after his death.The series now takes place approximately every two years, alternating between the two nations.The “Bodyline” series of 1932-33 marked an important moment in cricket history when England employed aggressive bowling tactics against Australian batters, particularly Don Bradman. This led to rule changes limiting these strategies.Shane Warne’s first Ashes delivery of 1993 became known as the ‘Ball of the Century’, confounding Mike Gatting with his exceptional turn at Old Trafford.Ben Stokes created history at Headingley in 2019 with an unbeaten 135, combining patience and aggressive batting to secure an improbable one-wicket victory for England.The 2023 Ashes witnessed controversy when Jonny Bairstow was stumped at Lord’s after leaving his crease, believing the ball to be dead. The legal but contested dismissal sparked heated debates over the spirit of cricket, leading to Australian players facing verbal abuse in the Long Room.Australia have retained possession of the Ashes since 2017, winning the series at home and drawing England, including a 2-2 result in their last meeting.England have struggled in Australia, not winning a Test match there since 2011, which was also their last series victory in the United States. They suffered heavy defeats of 5-0 in 2013-14 and 4-0 in 2017-18 and 2021-22.Australia have dominated the Ashes series at home, losing only once (3-1 in 2010-11) since regaining the urn in 1989.Joe Root, currently ranked first among Test batters, is seeking his maiden Ashes century in Australia. His average of 35.68 in Australian conditions is lower than his career average of 51.29.Ben Stokes leads England as captain and embodies their aggressive approach to ‘Bazball’. Despite his six-hitting abilities, his Australian performances posted modest averages of 28.61 with the bat and 41 with the ball.Jofra Archer returns for his first Australian Ashes series since his impressive 22-wicket performance in 2019. England will be hoping his fitness continues after recent injury-related setbacks.Steven Smith remains the mainstay of Australian batting with 10,447 runs and 36 centuries at an average of 56.02. His Ashes record includes 12 centuries, with a highest score of 239 in Perth.Mitchell Starc leads the Australian attack with 402 wickets in 100 Tests. The left-arm fast bowler, known for dismissing Rory Burns’ first ball in the previous Ashes home match, ranks fourth among Australia’s all-time wicket-takers.Scott Boland has impressed with 62 wickets at 16.53 in 14 Tests, including a remarkable 6-7 on his debut at the MCG in 2021. Despite these statistics, the 36-year-old often serves as a backup to Australia’s main trio.The series begins in Perth on Friday, followed by a day-night Test in Brisbane from December 4. Adelaide hosts the third Test from December 17-21, while the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne begins on December 26. The series will conclude in Sydney in the final match which begins on January 4.