Its Only Cricket

Filed under Ashes 2006

The words on the orignal Ashes cup reads as follows :

When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn;
Studds, Steel, Read and Tylecote return, return;
The welkin will ring loud,
The great crowd will feel proud,
Seeing Barlow and Bates with the urn, the urn;
And the rest coming home with the urn.

Which I am sure I don't know the actual meaning..!!

The beginning :

English people loved cricket. They found a rival in their own people down under - now called as Australians and started playing friendly matches.

That was the start of International test cricket as well. The year was 1877. But somewhere in between, English people missed the idea that if these cricket matches kept on going, someday they might lose as well.

That's what happened at the Oval on 29th August 1982 - the 9th test match between the two countries. Although it was just a 4 balls per over 2 day match, England team fell short by 7 runs and being the only test of the series - Australia not only won the match but the series as well.

"In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia." - wrote a London journalist, Reginald Shirley Brooks in a mock obituary (which means death notice). It was published by Sporting Times next day.

From that day onwards, these two countries play a test match series every 2 years. Whoever wins the series, wins the Ashes. If series is draw, Ashes remains with previous winner.

So what is this "Ashes series" :

It's basically an urn (a vase of varying size and shape, usually having a footed base or pedestal) and can be seen in the cricket museum at Lord's. A red and a gold velvet bag - which were made specially for that urn and the scorecard of that 1882 test match reside along with it.

It's not known what that Ashes urn contains. Some say it has the ashes of the "bail" used in the 3rd test match when English team traveled to Australia to regain ashes after that Oval test loss. Some say it's burned ball... make your own guess..

Victory after follow-on :

Out of 1815 test matches as I write this, only three have seen teams coming back and winning after being forced to follow-on. Twice has been done by English team in Ashes series - at Sydney in 1894 and then at Leeds in 1981...

The 3rd and last miracle happened for Indian team at Kolkatta. Surprisingly, Australian team were always at receiving end.

Highest Totals :

Highest innings score by Australia in Ashes series is 729 for 6 declared at Lords in 1930, while their second best test innings total against England is 701 at Oval.

For England, Sir Leonard Hutton's 364 helped them reach 903 for 7 declared (the 2nd highest Innings score by any country) at the Oval, and the test victory by an innings and 578 runs - the biggest test win margin for any country against anyone.

Lowest totals :

Australians were bowled out for only 36 in 1902 whereas English team were polished by Turner and Ferris for 45 in a Sydney test in 1887.

The other two lowest innings scores in Ashes series is 42 & 44 by Australia and 52 & 53 for England.

The highest individual scores in Ashes :

Four triple centuries for Australia - 304, 307, 311 and the highest being 334 by Don Bradman in 1930 at Leeds.

Only one triple century is made by English batsmen in Ashes series - 364 by L Hutton as I mentioned earlier, but this one alone is highest by any batsmen in Ashes series. The other two biggest test innings for England against Aussies is 287 by R Foster at Sydney and Kenneth Barrington's 256 at Manchester.

The Partnership records :

England holds the record for highest innings score, their lowest score is 3 places higher than Australian's lowest total and even the highest score by a batsmen in Ashes series is by an Englishman, but Partnership record rests with Australia as Bradman and Ponsford build a partnership of 451 for the 2nd wicket at The Oval and that's biggest among 311 test matches between the two rival teams.

Best bowling :

16 for 137 by Bob Messie at Lords in 1972 is best bowling performance by an Australian bowler against England while Off-spinner Jim Laker's 19 for just 90 runs remains the best figures with the ball in Ashes series.

Most runs and most wickets in Ashes series:

English and Aussie young cricketers dream of playing Ashes series and making a mark. The best of batting marks have been made by Don Bradman for his 5028 runs against England with an average of 89.78.

Most runs by one English batsmen in Ashes series belong to JB Hobbs for his 3636 compilation in 41 Ashes test matches.

Now I'll tell you a name that you surely know - Shane Warne, is the highest wicket taker in Ashes series. Warne has 172 wickets from 31 Ashes matches at an average of 22.30.

Dennis Lillee has 167 Ashes wickets at 21 apiece and best bowler for England in all Ashes series has been Ian Botham - 148 wickets in 26 matches.

As for see off message, let me tell you that there has been 311 Ashes test matches played in all so far (before the 2006 series) and Australia has won more against their rivals than vice-versa.

126 wins for Australia, 97 wins for England and 88 yielding draws.

I know history is not always interesting. But I hope this piece was different.

England Squad 2006 Ashes series.

England's tour of Australia 2006 Schedule.

Tricks for England - First.

Ashes 2006 & Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series

About Ashes you'll like to know,

Ed Joyce replaces "mentally stressed" Trecothick.

Aussie team for 1st Ashes test at Brisbane.

Ashes 2006. 1st test Day 1.

It's time England hit back : 2nd Ashes test preview.

England must believe they can still keep the Ashes