The Ashes

Well, England got the Ashes back today. What are the Ashes, you may ask? Clearly, you are not a follower of the game of cricket.

The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia.

The series is named after an obituary published in a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, in 1882 after a match at The Oval in which Australia beat England on an English ground for the first time. The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The English media dubbed the next English tour to Australia (1882–83) as the quest to regain The Ashes.
During that tour a small terracotta urn was presented to England captain Ivo Bligh by a group of Melbourne women. There are many stories that circulate as to the actual origins of the Ashes.

Today, after many days of play, England emerged triumphant and has regained the Ashes. It was a big day at our house.