Cricket
England expected an easy win at The Oval, but Australia stunned them in a low-scoring thriller, winning by just 7 runs
Fred 'the Demon' Spofforth ripped through England, taking 4 wickets for 2 runs in a deadly burst that sealed Australia’s first win on English soil
The Sporting Times published a satirical obituary for English cricket, declaring it 'died at The Oval' with 'the ashes taken to Australia'
Captain Ivo Bligh vowed to reclaim the Ashes. On the 1882–83 tour, he won the series 2–1 and was gifted the tiny urn, now cricket’s most sacred relic.
The term 'Ashes' faded for decades before being revived in 1903. By the 1920s, it had become the official name for England vs Australia series
With 73 series played, The Ashes has produced cricket’s greatest moments - Bradman, Botham, Warne, Stokes. More than a contest, it’s pure history