The Ashes Explained — History, Format and Why It's Cricket's Greatest Rivalry
The Ashes is the Test cricket series between England and Australia, played since 1882. Learn the history behind the famous urn, how the series works, who holds the Ashes and how they can lose them, and why this 140-year rivalry remains cricket's most iconic contest.
The Ashes is the oldest and most celebrated bilateral Test cricket series in the world — a five-Test contest between England and Australia that has been played since 1882. It is the pinnacle of the Test match calendar and the defining rivalry in cricket. For over 140 years, the two countries have competed for a tiny terracotta urn said to contain the 'ashes' of English cricket — a satirical trophy that has grown into one of sport's most enduring symbols.
Where did The Ashes come from?
The series takes its name from a satirical obituary published in the Sporting Times on 2 September 1882 after Australia beat England at The Oval for the first time on English soil. The obituary mourned the death of English cricket and announced that 'the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.' A group of Melbourne ladies responded by burning a bail — some sources say a stump or a cricket ball — and placing the ashes in a small terracotta urn, which they presented to England captain Ivo Bligh after England won a series in Australia in 1882–83. The urn has been at Lord's Cricket Ground (the home of the MCC) since 1927.
How does The Ashes work?
- Each series consists of five Test matches — each match a maximum of five days.
- The series alternates between England and Australia every two years: England hosts one series, then Australia hosts the next. The full cycle is four years between home series for each country.
- The current holder retains The Ashes if the series is drawn (2–2 or fewer wins each). The challenger must win the series outright to take the urn.
- If the challenger wins the series 3–0, 3–1, 3–2 or 4–1, they win the ashes outright. A 2–2 draw means the current holder retains.
Who currently holds The Ashes?
Australia holds The Ashes, having won the 2025–26 series in Australia 4–1. Mitchell Starc was Player of the Series (31 wickets). The series ran November 2025 – January 2026. The next Ashes series is in England in 2027.
All-time Ashes record
| Country | Series won | Series drawn |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 34 | 6 |
| England | 32 | 6 |
Australia leads the all-time series count, but the margin is narrow — and individual series produce some of the most dramatic cricket ever played. England's record includes iconic wins like the 2005 Ashes (2–1, ending an 18-year drought) and the 2010–11 tour (3–1 in Australia under Andrew Strauss). Australia's dominance in the Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting eras (1989–2007) included an extraordinary run of five consecutive series wins.
Iconic Ashes moments
- 1981 Headingley — Botham's Ashes: Ian Botham hit 149* to lead England's miraculous comeback from 135–7 following on. Bob Willis then took 8/43 to bowl Australia out for 111. England won from an impossible position.
- 2005 Edgbaston: Australia needed just 3 runs to win with 4 wickets in hand. England won by 2 runs — the third-closest finish in Ashes history. The series revived Test cricket's global audience.
- 2006–07 3rd Test, Perth: Ricky Ponting's Australia bowled England out for 105 and 350 to win by 206 runs and retain the Ashes, en route to a 5–0 whitewash.
- 2010–11 Melbourne Boxing Day Test: England won by an innings and 157 runs — England's biggest Ashes win by an innings on Australian soil.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Ashes in cricket?
The Ashes is the Test cricket series between England and Australia, played since 1882. It consists of five Test matches, alternating between England (home) and Australia (home) every two years. It takes its name from a satirical obituary following Australia's first win on English soil in 1882, and the small terracotta urn said to contain the ashes of English cricket.
What is inside the Ashes urn?
The Ashes urn is believed to contain the ashes of a cricket bail, burnt by Melbourne ladies after England's Ivo Bligh won a series in Australia in 1882–83. The exact contents have never been confirmed. The urn lives permanently at the MCC Museum at Lord's — only a replica travels to the winning team.
How does a team win The Ashes?
The challenger (the country that doesn't currently hold The Ashes) must win more matches than the holder across the five-Test series. A drawn series (2–2 or fewer) means the current holder retains The Ashes. A clean winning margin (e.g. 3–1 or 3–2) transfers the urn to the challenger.
Who holds The Ashes right now?
Australia holds The Ashes, having won the 2025–26 series in Australia 4–1 (series concluded January 2026). Mitchell Starc took 31 wickets across the series. The next Ashes series is scheduled in England in 2027.
How often is The Ashes played?
An Ashes series is played every two years, alternating between England and Australia. The full home-and-away cycle means England and Australia each host a series once every four years. The ICC calendar schedules Ashes series outside the ICC tournament windows to preserve their primacy in the Test calendar.