The time has come.
Two years have passed since the most recent edition of the Ashes – perhaps the oldest and fiercest rivalry in international sport – and the urn is now up for the taking again.
Cricket fans in Australia, England and many other corners of the globe have been waiting feverishly for the 2021-22 Ashes from the moment the final ball of the 2019 series was bowled, by left-arm tweaker Jack Leach at The Oval.
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Steve Smith‘s phenomenal series with the blade, the former skipper’s engrossing battle with England quick Jofra Archer, the thriving emergence of Marnus Labuschagne via the first-ever use of the substitute rule and, of course, Ben Stokes‘ Headingley heroics, were among the richest story lines of the drawn 2019 series.
More riveting Ashes story lines are set to arise over six drama-filled weeks throughout this Australian summer.
Australia are in possession of the urn, having regained it in the 2017-18 summer before defending the Ashes in 2019.
Here is everything you need to know for the 2021-22 Ashes series.
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DATES AND START TIMES
The first Test will begin on Wednesday, December 8 and the fifth Test on Friday, January 14.
Here’s the full schedule:
First Test: December 8-12, first ball 11am (AEDT), the Gabba, Brisbane
Second Test (day-night Test): December 16-20, first ball 3pm (AEDT), Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Third Test (Boxing Day Test): December 26-30, first ball 10:30am (AEDT), MCG, Melbourne
Fourth Test (New Year’s Test): January 5-9, first ball 10:30am (AEDT), SCG, Sydney
Fifth Test: January 14-18, start time and venue TBC
THE SQUADS
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
ODDS (SUPPLIED BY SPORTSBET)
Australia: $1.33
England: $5.50
Draw: $6.50
*Those odds are correct at the time of this article being published.
KEY STORY LINES
The powerful England force that is Stokes
Stokes is at the centre of chatter as time ticks down to the first ball of the 2021-22 Ashes, to be bowled at 10am on Wednesday (AEDT) at the Gabba. The superstar all-rounder has overcome a broken finger and returned from a mental-health break “fit and hungry”, as he wrote in an Instagram post. Stokes appeared in fine nick during England’s final warm-up match, in which he took 2-31 from 10 overs and made 42 runs. The promising display gave the home side reason to shudder.
Explosive off-field drama
Both camps are frail on the cusp of this Ashes series, having been engulfed in horrible off-field dramas. As England close in on the series amid shocking allegations of racism raised by former Yorkshire county cricketer Azeem Rafiq, Australia are trying desperately to regain their balance after the Tim Paine sexting bombshell rocked the core of the home squad’s camp.
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Smith’s leadership redemption
That scandal paved the way for Smith to make a return to official leadership for the first time since Sandpapergate, which resulted in a two-year leadership ban. Smith’s first day back in an official leadership role, this time as vice-captain, shapes as a landmark moment in Australian cricket.
Cummins to buck a long-time trend
Smith will serve as deputy to Australia’s first fast-bowling captain in any format since 1956, when Ray Lindwall skippered his country in a solitary Test against India in Mumbai. Pat Cummins has captained NSW in one-day cricket – and the time has arrived for the lion-hearted right-arm paceman to lead the way on the world stage. He has been named Australia’s 47th Test captain.
Swing kings to take the pink ball
Adelaide Oval played host to the first-ever day-night Ashes Test during the 2017-18 summer – and the pink ball is set to make an appearance again. James Anderson‘s only Test five-for in Australia to date came in that pink-ball match, when the veteran England seamer captured 5-43 in the third innings. England paceman Chris Woakes also shone with the pink ball in the third innings, snaring 4-36. In Australia’s camp it’s perhaps Mitchell Starc who’s most dangerous with the pink leather. The towering left-arm fast bowler bagged 5-88 in the fourth innings of the 2017 Adelaide Test. England’s right-handed batters will be in trouble if he nails his in-swingers bowling over the wicket under lights. Amid more criticism from Shane Warne, the Adelaide Test shapes as an ideal opportunity for Starc to silence the leg-spin legend.
THE TALE OF THE TAPE
A total of 71 Ashes series have been played between England and Australia since the burning of the bails for the urn in 1882.
Australia hold a slim lead over England after 139 years of Ashes cricket, having won 33 series to the Old Enemy’s 32.
There have been six draws.
HOW THE ASHES CAME TO BE
The term ‘Ashes’ was conceived when England lost to Australia for the first time on home soil, at The Oval on August 29, 1882. Australia, captained by Billy Murdoch, beat Albert Hornby’s England side by seven runs.
The defeat prompted London journalist Reginald Shirley Brooks to write a mock obituary in The Sporting Times.
“The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia,” the obituary concluded.
Intent on regaining the Ashes, England toured Australia under the captaincy of Ivo Bligh, setting the famous fight for the urn in motion.
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