With high-tension drama at every moment and fierce action a close cricket match is no less than a battle. When it comes to one of the most iconic rivalries in the world of cricket the series definitely promises legendary performances and creates memories that impact not only cricket but also national pride. That is exactly what the Ashes encompasses and ever since this iconic series started between the Australia cricket team and England cricket team the rivalry has only intensified and the impact has become all the more profound.
It is no wonder then that a series as momentous as the Ashes series has had multiple influences on not only on the English and Australian cricket team but the global cricket community as well. In this particular blog post you will read about the iconic Ashes rivalry, how it started, what were the most iconic moments in the rivalry and how it has shaped the global cricket culture.
The Genesis of the Rivalry
The classic Ashes series started way back in the nineteenth century and to be precise the year was 1882. In this year, two two cricket teams that are the national cricket teams of England and Australia played against each other in a test match series at the famous oval of England. If you are to appreciate the significance of the tournament you must first learn about all the rich traditions and rituals associated with the series.
First comes the trophy which itself is steeped in culture. The trophy for this tournament is not a simple one, instead it contains the ashes of the ball, the stump and the bails in it. So it can be said that the trophy quite literally holds the ashes of the ball and stumps in it.
Now the series as has already been mentioned is played in the test format of the game. The test series being the oldest and the longest format of the game requires the players to bring out their best performance along with endurance. The series is organized every year and it takes place alternatively in England and Australia.
Evolution of the Rivalry
The intense rivalry began taking shape in the very first tournament of the series itself. England was defeated by the Australian cricket team on home ground. This defeat was followed by a mock article in a newspaper like The Sporting Times that implied that this loss was synonymous with the death and the burial of the English cricket team. Such an article and the loss in the home ground obviously did not go down well with either the English cricket team or the local public in England. Thus was born the great rivalry between these two cricket teams.
The series has been around for more than a century and it is more like a cultural event than a simple cricket match. Since this cricket series has been around for so long it is obvious that it has been impacted by the biggest events of the time. So during both the world wars that is World War I and II this series was suspended. All through the years that this series has been conducted there have been phases where either of the two sides have dominated. The phases of domination can be broadly broken down into the three parts.
The first phase lasted for almost eight years where the English side showed their domination and won six out of eight times. The second phase may be called the phase of resurrection for the Australian side. In the year 1891-92, the Australian team won the series after a long time. The third phase which has continued for almost the entire twentieth century has seen intense competition among the two teams.
Iconic Moments in the Ashes History
Now that you have some idea of the cultural significance of the Ashes series you must know a little bit about the most iconic players who have played in this tournament. Here are some of the memorable performances in the Ashes history. Also, if you wish to learn about other iconic series like the BGT or the Border Gavaskar Trophy you can read sports blog posts on that, as well.
1. Don Bradman’s Era (1930s-1940s)
The Don Bradman era is significant because it projected Australia as a cricketing powerhouse. They slowly emerged as one of the best cricket teams in the world when Bradman played in their team. The English had adopted the controversial bodyline bowling technique. This technique was a strategy where the bowler bowled very close to the body of the batsman in order to prevent them from scoring runs. Despite this the Australian side won the series but this lead to the inclusion of new rules in the world of cricket
2. Botham’s Heroics (1981)
Another iconic cricketer who had a far reaching impact on the world of cricket is Ian Botham. His brilliance on the ground led his team to victory in a match where all hopes seemed lost for the English side. He single handedly scored 149 runs not out. His batting set a tough run target for the Australian side to chase and eventually resulted in a victory for the English team. His performance showed that individual brilliance in team sports like cricket could actually win matches.
3. Warne’s Ball of the Century (1993)
Another player who created iconic moments was the legendary bowler from the Australian side Shane Warne. He had bowled what is known as the ball of the century. Warne delivered a spin ball that drifted and made a sharp turn which was completely unexpected for the batsman. As a result the batsman did not even attempt to play that ball and the bat directly hit the stumps. The ball delivered by Warne was one of a kind and set new paradigms for leg spin bowling.
4. 2005 Ashes Series
The 2005 series was memorable for many reasons, one of them being England winning the series after a long dry period of eighteen years. Another reason why the 2005 series was memorable was because of the close matches that were played. The intense matches enthralled the crowds and most of them were won with a close margin of less than a hundred runs.
Influence on Modern Cricket
The series has had a profound impact on the world of cricket and it has contributed to creating new strategies and tactics for the game. Here you can read more about the evolution of cricket through The Ashes.
Post this series in 1932 the players were not allowed to bowl too close to the body of the batsman and this led to new rules where teams had to avoid such deliveries. Shane Warne’s balls gave new importance to leg spin bowling. With time more teams started incorporating leg spinners in their teams.
The series saw the emergence of aggressive styles of battling that were often adopted to bridge the score gap. Then there were fielding innovations by players like Ricky Ponting that grabbed the attention of world cricket. With time teams across the world started investing in developing world class fielders.
Finally, the series also gave a thrust to incorporation of new-age technology in cricket. The series incorporated the DRS also known as the decision review system which helped in bringing transparency in cricket matches.
The Ashes series has also played a key role in the development of budding cricketers. Young players who aspired to be professionals watched these games and learned how to handle pressure especially when they are playing matches with narrow margins. Young players who play at the Ashes series get accustomed to facing top-level competition. Finally, the Ashes series is important because many young players find their role models when they see legends performing in the series.
The Ashes and Cricket Culture
The series has been iconic for many reasons like great cricketing moments, contribution to the development of new players but more than anything else it is the fan engagement that has captured the attention of the world. The Ashes has always seen a huge turnout of fans and in many cases there have been fan beatles over their favorite teams. In case of matches which have gone to the last ball finish the media coverage and the fan frenzy has been immense.
The media coverage has always been good plus there has been in-depth analysis of all the match highlights by expert commentators. In today’s times social media has also been incorporated in the series and now fans can give their reactions while the matches are on. In fact many fans place bets on the outcomes of the game via online sports betting.
The series also has fan zone events where special meet and greet sessions are organized where fans can meet their favorite players. Moreover, there is game-related memorabilia that is associated with the teams and the players.
Finally it is important to remember that it is the unique rituals associated with the series that make it so special. Some of the famous rituals that appeal to the audiences at large include urn presentation. The urn is nothing but a symbolic trophy that is presented to the winning side. However, the original urn is never given away and it remains at the museum at the Oval but a replica is given at the presentation ceremony.
Green caps are worn by all debutantes from the Australian side. Wearing the green cap is a matter of pride for all Austrailias who aspire to have a career in cricket. Finally, there is the Ashes dinner and wearing of the all white jersey by both the teams in line with test cricket rituals.
Cultural and Political Undercurrents
The Ashes series has always been an event that has deep political connotations. When at the first edition of the series the English team was defeated by the Australian it had a deep message for not only cricket but for colonialism as well. It was symbolic that a colonial power was being defeated by the colonized people.
All the major global events have had an impact on the Ashes series like the World wars. Today the series has a profound impact on the psyche of the British and the Aussie people. The Ashes have not been isolated from the impact of globalisation as well and today many of the players who play from the English or Australian side may have origins in other countries of Asia or Africa.
The Ashes in the 21st Century
The series started with the test match format however they have kept up with the changing times. At present the T20 format of the game is quite famous so the Ashes have also adopted this format. The series now has the Women’s Ashes which includes matches across multiple formats like the T20 format, one day international format as well as T20 format as well. For the men’s series the format is primarily the test series format yet there have been occasional T20 matches as well.
Hence it can be said that the Ashes series does its best to change with the changing times yet it does its best to protect the cricket legacy of test matches.
Conclusion
The Ashes series is much more than a cricket tournament; it is an historic event that has many cultural and political implications as well. The series is symbolic of the long standing cricket rivalry that exists between the English people and the Australians. Everytime a team wins the trophy it becomes a matter of national pride.
The rich legacy and heritage associated with the series is evident as the rituals like presenting the urn to winners keep the legacy intact. So for anyone who still has questions on why is the Ashes important or want to learn about the series before indulging in sports betting they must go through this blog post and watch the series for themselves. The Ashes series after so many years still continues to give remarkable performance and keeps contributing to the evolution of cricketing techniques. It is no wonder then that millions of people place bets on the outcomes of the matches played in the Ashes series and if you wish to Stake your money in the matches read all about the past performances.