Cricket Equipment � History � The History of The Ashes

As the biggest tournament in cricket history begins its 2006/07 tour in Australia , we take a look at the history of The Ashes.

The Ashes is cricket's oldest international contest and its history dates back to 1882. In the third tour of Australia 's cricket team in England , the Australian team managed to go down in history by beating the English cricket team on home soil for the first time ever. Led by Cricket Captain WL Murdoch, the Australians played their cricket equipment like they'd never played it before and achieved phenomenal results.

In the game that made history between England and Australia , the English team led by WG Grace, lost by seven runs. Australian fast bowler, Fred Spofforth, clinched the deal by using his cricket equipment to take 14 wickets for 90 runs.

The following day, a pretend obituary ran in the Sporting Times which stated, �in affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at the Oval on 29 th August 1882�.

The article went on to add that �the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia �. Little did the journalists realise that their obituary would make history for years to come.

When the next English team toured Australia the history of the ashes was born. At the end of the tournament, after the English had beaten the Australians 2-1, a group of Australian ladies presented the touring English Captain, Hon Ivo Bligh, with an urn containing the burnt remains of a bail. The Ashes had become a infamous sporting prise, and remain in the famous cricket ground at Lords in England along with many other prestigious cricket equipment.

Having regained their honour after the win against Australia , England 's golden cricket equipment helped them to win the next seven matches, but not without some drama. In the second match held in the winter of 1884, having beaten the Australians 3-2 in the first five test series held in Australia , the match went down in history. Not only was there a walkout by the Aussies over payment issues, there was also a fight in the first match!

The Australians finally reclaimed the Ashes when England toured in 1891-92, beating Grace's team 2-1. But the English turned the tables with a 1-0 win in 1893's three-match series. The Aussies then went on to win 4-1 at home in 1897-98, then 1-0 on tour in 1899 which was the final Test match in history for Grace who packed up his cricket equipment shortly after.

England versus Australia is still the oldest continuous international cricket fixture, dating back in history to the very first time that both countries brought their cricket equipment out onto the pitch in March 1877.Today, the Ashes is an international phenomenon and each win achieved is remembered for years to come.

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