Messages with the tag: ashes

Like nearly all things to do with the sport of cricket, the Ashes, a long-standing rivalry between the national teams of England and Australia, has a story behind it. In fact, a lot of stories. For instance, the fact that the Ashes got started at all is largely due to the singular efforts of an Australian fast bowler named Fred Spofforth, seen at right. One fateful day in 1882, Spofforth’s diabolical deliveries demolished the cream of English batting, bringing consternation on the land. A pundit gloomily announced the death of English cricket, adding that its ashes would be taken to Australia. And thus was born one of the great traditions of international sport. With the 2019 Ashes about to get started in England in a couple of days, please go ahead and give our Ashes Quiz a try.