With the 2021-22 Ashes series starting today at the Gabba, we take a look at the facts that could define the latest edition of cricket's oldest rivalry.
The Ashes Urn Photo: Photosport
After the 2020 Ashes series was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, long-time foes Australia and England will finally meet again at 1pm on Wednesday at The Gabba in Brisbane.
The two nations meet roughly every two years, with the winners claiming one of the most famous (and smallest) trophies in sport - the Ashes urn.
Australia are the holders of the Ashes but both sides will be looking to settle the score after the 2019 series ended in a draw - the first time since 1972 that an Ashes series ended in a draw
Overall, Australia have won 33 series, England 32, and six series have been drawn. So, this Ashes is a particularly important one.
England have not won at the Gabba since 1986, but Australia's 33-year undefeated run on that ground ended in January when they lost to India.
In recent weeks, the series has been overshadowed by scandals within the Australia team - which eventually led to Australian captain Tim Paine stepping down over allegations of improper conduct off the field.
The players will now have to let their cricket do the talking, something cricket fans will certainly celebrate.
Form
Despite recent success in the T20 format, Australia have yet to win a test this year with their last test coming in a 2-1 series loss to India in Brisbane this January.
Meanwhile in 2021, England's only series win came in a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka, before they losing two series against India and a series against the Black Caps.
Overall this year, England have played 12, won four, lost six and drawn two.
However, their 2021 form does not bode well given their abysmal run in recent Ashes' venture to Australia.
After taking home the urn in a 3-1 series win in 2010-11, they have since lost nine out of ten tests in soul-crushing, joy-sapping hammerings.
On the other hand, it is a La Niña summer which has historically proven favourable to the English.
In the last 120 years, England have won the Ashes five times in nine La Niña Australian summers, but only once in seven El Niño summers.
After Tim Paine stepped away from cricket indefinitely, Alex Carey is set to make his Test debut behind the stumps for Australia. The last seven times an Australia wicketkeeper has made his debut in an Ashes Test, going back to the 1950s, England have won the series.
Australia vice-captain Steve Smith will be looking to rise further up the list of all-time highest run scorers in the Ashes' history.
Smith currently holds the record for the most runs in the Ashes amongst active players with 2800, with England captain Joe Root following behind on 1694 runs.
Smith needs just 52 runs to become the 6th highest run scorer in series history.
Matthew Wade, former captain-Tim Paine and Steve Smith fielding against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2021. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
History
The origin of the name 'the Ashes' dates all the way back to August 1882 at Lord's, as the story goes the name was unofficially coined after Australia shattered England's dignity on home soil for the first time.
The next day, the Sporting Times newspaper published a mock obituary mourning the death of English cricket stating: "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."
A few weeks later, an English team set off to tour Australia, with Captain Ivo Bligh vowing to return with "the ashes".
Alongside three scheduled matches against the Australian national side, Bligh and his team participated in many social matches. It was after one of these matches, at the Rupertswood Estate outside Melbourne on Christmas Eve 1882, that Bligh was given the small terracotta urn as a symbol of the ashes that he had travelled to Australia to regain.
The urn stayed on the mantelpiece at the Bligh family home until he died, 43 years later. At his request, his wife left the urn to Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Today, the artifact resides in the MCC Museum at Lord's.
In the 1990s, recognising the two teams' desire to compete for an actual trophy, MCC commissioned - after discussions with the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia - an urn-shaped Waterford Crystal trophy.
Magic moments
Shane Warne's ball of the century
It was a delivery from Australian leg spinner Shane Warne in the first Test of the 1993 Ashes series at Old Trafford in Manchester.
With his first ball in Ashes cricket Warne landed a delivery outside the leg stump of England batsman Mike Gatting and it spun back to hit the off-stump.
Warne went on to take 34 wickets in the six match series as Australia won 3-0.
Enjoy the moment from 1993, which was also the first delivery the great @ShaneWarne bowled in England - leaving a bewildered Mike Gatting & cricket gazers absolutely clueless. Cricket pundits have called it “The Ball of the Century.”
— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) September 13, 2020
Happy birthday Shane Warne! pic.twitter.com/XiVGY5EZ7q
Ian Botham's "Ashes" in 1981
Morning England cricket fans!
— Rob Moody (@robelinda2) August 2, 2020
ON THIS DAY, 1981
One of cricket's greatest performances
Australia are 5 wickets down, needing a further 37 runs to win the test match
Enter Sir Ian Botham- proceeds to take 5 wickets for one run, to secure a famous win
Glorious scenes! pic.twitter.com/RhBNDfhLQR
Adam Gilchrist's record breaking century in 2006
What a knock this was! Adam Gilchrist's quickfire hundred against England in 2006 is No.3 in our #20in2020 countdown pic.twitter.com/aBI7osxdKT
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) May 4, 2020
Squads
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Series schedule
First Test: 8-12 December , The Gabba
Second Test: 16-20 December, Adelaide Oval
Third Test: 26-30 December, MCG
Fourth Test: 5-9 January, SCG
Fifth Test: 14-18 January, TBC
- RNZ / BBC
