Australia vs England - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. The Ashes: The Australia vs England cricket rivalry is famously known as The Ashes, which dates back to 1882 when Australia defeated England at The Oval. The teams now compete for a small urn, said to contain the ashes of a burnt cricket bail.
- 2. Overall Record: As of 2021, Australia has won the Ashes series 33 times, while England has emerged victorious on 32 occasions. There have been five drawn series.
- 3. The Urn: The iconic Ashes urn is approximately 11 cm in height and is believed to contain the ashes of a cricket bail, though the actual contents have never been confirmed.
- 4. Key Players: Some of the legendary players who have left their mark on the Australia vs England rivalry include Don Bradman, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Ian Botham, and Sir Jack Hobbs.
- 5. The Venues: The Ashes series is traditionally played at iconic cricket grounds such as Lord's, The Gabba, The Oval, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
- 6. The Bodyline Series: The 1932-33 Ashes series, also known as the Bodyline series, was marred by controversy as England employed aggressive bowling tactics to target the Australian batsmen, leading to tensions between the two teams.
- 7. The 2005 Ashes: Considered one of the greatest Ashes series, England reclaimed the urn after 18 years in a thrilling 2-1 victory, with memorable performances from players like Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.
- 8. The 2010-11 Ashes: Australia dominated the series with a 3-1 victory on home soil, led by the exceptional performances of players like Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke.
- 9. The Ashes Trophy: In addition to the urn, a replica Ashes trophy was introduced in 1998 to be presented to the winning team after each series.
- 10. The Next Ashes: The next Ashes series is scheduled to take place in Australia in the 2021-22 season, with both teams gearing up for another intense battle for cricketing supremacy.