: After England won the 1882–83 series 2–1, a small terracotta urn was presented to Bligh. It is reputed to contain the ashes of a wooden cricket bail , though some legends suggest they are the remains of a veil or ball cover.
The series takes its name from a joke published in The Sporting Times after Australia's first victory on English soil at The Oval in August 1882. Journalist Reginald Shirley Brooks wrote a mock obituary for English cricket, stating that "the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia". England captain Ivo Bligh later vowed to "regain those ashes" during the 1882–83 tour of Australia, a mission the English media dubbed the "Quest to regain the Ashes". ashes-cricket
: The original urn remains permanently housed at the MCC Museum at Lord's in London due to its extreme fragility. : After England won the 1882–83 series 2–1,
: Since the 1998–99 series, the winning team has been awarded a Waterford Crystal trophy modeled after the original urn. Format and Rules Journalist Reginald Shirley Brooks wrote a mock obituary