On this day, 30 August 1882, the legend of The Ashes was born.
Following Australia’s dramatic victory over England at The Oval, a London newspaper published a mock obituary mourning the “death” of English cricket. It declared that “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia,” sparking one of sport’s greatest rivalries.
A single satirical paragraph that changed cricket history forever.
August 30, 2026 225
