What are the ashes all about?

Question

What on earth is 'The Ashes' What does it mean, what is its origin. Was something burnt?

Answer 1

Nice try by the 1st 3, When The Aussies beat England for the 1st time, A Reporter of the Times Newspaper put a Spoof obituary in his Paper, The Ladies Of Melbourne Burnt either the Bails or a Cricket Ball ( No one is sure which) and placed the ashes in a little urn, which they presented to the England team, even though they talk about winning the Ashes, the Ashes themself never ever leave Lords where they are displayed in the Longroom to this day./

Answer 2

The Ashes is a Test cricket series, played between England and Australia - it is international cricket's oldest and most celebrated rivalry dating back to 1882. It is currently played approximately biennially, alternately in England and Australia. If a series is drawn then the country holding the Ashes retains them. The last Ashes series was played in England in 2005 when England won 2-1, the first time they had won The Ashes in 18 years. An Ashes Test series is currently underway in Australia 2006-07 with Australia leading 1-0; the next series in England will be held in 2009.

The series is named after a satirical obituary published in The Sporting Times in 1882 following the match at The Oval, in which Australia beat England in England 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.

A small terracotta urn was presented to the England captain Ivo Bligh by a group of Melbourne women at some point during the 1882-83 tour. The contents of the urn are reputed to be the ashes of an item of cricket equipment, possibly a bail, ball or stump. The urn is not used as a trophy for the Ashes series, and whichever side holds the Ashes, the urn normally remains in the MCC Museum at Lord's because it was bequeathed to the MCC by Ivo Bligh upon his death. Since the 1998-99 Ashes series, a Waterford crystal trophy has been presented to the winners.

If you want to have more details about Ashes Series, please check website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ashes

Answer 3

The series is named after a satirical obituary published in The Sporting Times in 1882 following the match at The Oval, in which Australia beat England in England 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.

Answer 4

its a combination of the first two answers, they aussies burnt the bales (the little bits that go on top of the stumps) then did the newspaper thing and the next year the english went on a quest to regain the ashes and its been a tradition every year since.

Answer 5

Ashes of some bails back in like 1890s or something

Answer 6

re reply by bob w.........if the ashes are what cricket is all about then they show what the game is worth......bugger all but a pile of burnt out people in a pile of ****!!!! I think this answer defines cricket and the ashes!!!!!!

Answer 7

the ashes is a code name for come on over the missues is out lets pretend to play cricket and u can sleep over in my bed u big boy

Answer 8

the bails(spelling?)where burnt i think and thats what the ashes are of

Answer 9

ashes is what cricket is all about.

Answer 10

a stadium was burned ..... see it name is self explanatory (ashes)....u r smart .........