Question 1

True or false: The Ashes series first took place in the 1882-83 English cricket season in Australia.

Accepted Answer

True. The first official Ashes series was played in Australia from 1882 to 1883, with England winning the series.

Question 2

True or false: The Ashes series is always played in England, never in Australia.

Accepted Answer

False. The Ashes alternates between England and Australia every two years. The host country rotates, so it's played in both nations.

Question 3

True or false: The Ashes urn is made of solid gold and stands over two feet tall.

Accepted Answer

False. The Ashes urn is a small terracotta urn, roughly 10.5 cm (4.1 inches) tall, not solid gold. It is not over two feet tall.

Question 4

True or false: The Ashes series is a single match played over five days.

Accepted Answer

False. The Ashes is a series of five Test matches, each lasting up to five days. The winner is the team that wins the most matches, not just one.

Question 5

True or false: The Ashes urn is a small terracotta urn believed to contain the ashes of a cricket bail.

Accepted Answer

True. The Ashes urn, made of terracotta, is indeed reputed to hold the ashes of a bail burned after Australia's 1882 victory, symbolizing the death of English cricket.

Question 6

True or false: The Ashes series was inspired by a mock obituary published in The Sporting Times in 1882.

Accepted Answer

True. After England's first home loss to Australia, a newspaper ran a satirical obituary saying English cricket was dead and its ashes taken to Australia.

Question 7

True or false: The Ashes urn has never been awarded to the winning team; it remains at Lord's Cricket Ground permanently.

Accepted Answer

True. The original urn is a permanent exhibit at the MCC Museum at Lord's. The winning team receives a full-sized replica.

Question 8

True or false: The Ashes urn was crafted from the wood of the original cricket bat used in the 1882 match.

Accepted Answer

False. The urn is made of terracotta, not wood. It is believed to contain the ashes of a cricket bail, not a bat.

Question 9

True or false: The Ashes urn is actually a small terracotta urn, not made of silver or gold.

Accepted Answer

True. The tiny urn, about 6 inches tall, is made of terracotta and contains the ashes of a cricket bail. It was a gift from a group of women to the English captain in 1883.

Question 10

True or false: The term 'Ashes' originated after Australia beat England for the first time on English soil in 1882.

Accepted Answer

True. After that loss, a British newspaper printed a mock obituary saying English cricket had died and 'the body will be cremated.' The next tour was dubbed 'the quest to regain the ashes.'

Question 11

True or false: The Ashes urn is permanently kept at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.

Accepted Answer

False. The original urn is housed at the Marylebone Cricket Club museum at Lord's Cricket Ground in London, not in Australia. It only travels for special exhibitions.

Question 12

True or false: The Ashes series is played every year, with England and Australia taking turns hosting.

Accepted Answer

False. The series is played approximately every two years, though gaps have occurred. Annual series would be unsustainable.

Question 13

True or false: If a series ends in a tie, the team that last won the Ashes retains the trophy.

Accepted Answer

True. Unlike many sports, a drawn or tied Ashes series means the previous winner keeps the urn. This has happened several times, including in 1972 and 2019.

Question 14

True or false: Women have competed in the Ashes since the 1930s, but the series was not officially recognized until 1998.

Accepted Answer

True. The Women's Ashes began in 1934, but for decades it was informal. In 1998, it gained official Test status, and in 2013 it switched to a multi-format points system.

Question 15

True or false: The Ashes trophy was originally a gift from the Australian Cricket Board to the English captain.

Accepted Answer

False. The urn was presented to captain Ivo Bligh by a group of women in Melbourne, not by the cricket board.

Question 16

True or false: The original Ashes urn is awarded to the winning team's captain immediately after the final match ends.

Accepted Answer

False. The original urn is not awarded; it remains in the MCC Museum at Lord's. A Waterford crystal trophy is presented instead.

The Ashes Trivia Questions