The Ashes

Lately there'd been advertisements on TV and radio about 'The Ashes' and then came notifications around the pubs saying that 'The Ashes' will be shown. The Ashes? What's that? Some movie being publicized ? It's got as much coverage as 'Bruno' here.

Apparently 'The Ashes' is the nickname for the test cricket series between England and Australia. As it's summer and cricket being a summer game, hence the cricket frenzy in this cranny of the world. The intriguing nickname dates all the way back to 1882 when England lost to Australia on English ground for the first time. After the loss, a satirical obituary was published in the British newspaper, The Sporting Times, stating 'the death of cricket', 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.

Apparently there's a little urn with the ashes of the cricket bale of that particular game - which is a treasured artifact for cricket fans

The urn is also featured in the science fiction comedy novel Life, the Universe and Everything, the third "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" book by Douglas Adams. The urn is stolen by alien robots, as the burnt bail inside it is part of the key needed to unlock the "Wikkit Gate" and release the imprisoned world of "Krikkit".



'The Ashes' are currently in Australia now since the last Ashes in 2006-7 but is now being contested for in the England and Wales 2009 series.