Ivo bligh

The Ashes is cricket’s most storied rivalry, born from a mock obituary in 1882 mourning the ‘death’ of English cricket. But behind the famous urn lies a lesser-known tale of romance and destiny. When England captain Ivo Bligh travelled to Australia vowing to “bring back the Ashes,” he returned not only with the tiny terracotta urn but also with a bride. His quest for cricketing redemption unexpectedly became a love story—one of the most charming and overlooked chapters in the history of the Ashes.

As far as the origin of Ashes is concerned, the most acceptable story is that after the shocking defeat of English team against Australia at the Oval in August 1882, a mock obituary was printed in The Sporting Times newspaper lamenting the `death' of English cricket, ending with "NB: The body will be cremated, and the ashes taken to Australia."