The Ashes Trivia
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50 free The Ashes trivia questions with answers — trivia quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
The Ashes began as a joke. After Australia beat England at The Oval in 1882, a London paper ran a mock obituary for English cricket and promised the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. Ivo Bligh vowed to bring them back, some Melbourne ladies burned a bail and put it in a small urn, and the most famous trophy in cricket — which is not actually the trophy — was born. This quiz covers the whole story. You'll answer questions on the 1882 match and Fred Spofforth's 'This thing can be done', on the urn and where it lives, on Bodyline and the diplomatic row it caused, on Bradman's final duck and The Invincibles, Laker's 19 wickets, Botham and Willis at Headingley, Warne's Ball of the Century, the two-run Edgbaston thriller of 2005, Cook's 766 runs, Stokes's 135 and Broad's last ball. Easy questions ask who plays and how often. Hard ones ask for the name of England's last man in 1882. Fifty questions, every one sourced. Play and retain.
30 of 50 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Which two countries contest the Ashes?
England and Australia
England and Australia play for an urn that a group of local women first gave to England's captain during the 1882–83 tour in Australia.
Q 02In which newspaper did the 1882 mock obituary for English cricket appear?
The Sporting Times
The Sporting Times ran the notice saying the body of English cricket would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia, and that line named the series.
Q 03Which England cricket supporters' group was formed during the 1994–95 Ashes tour of Australia?
The Barmy Army
The Barmy Army began as a small group of about 30 backpackers staying in hostels, and it later became a company running tours for fans.
Q 04Which Australian fast bowler took 14 wickets in the 1882 Oval Test?
Fred Spofforth
Fred Spofforth is said to have told his team 'This thing can be done' as England chased just 85, and Australia won by seven runs.
Q 05Which England player famously crouched to console Brett Lee at the end of the 2005 Edgbaston Test?
Andrew Flintoff
Andrew Flintoff's gesture, caught in a famous photograph, came to stand for the respect between the two sides during that series.
Q 06Which England captain vowed to 'regain those ashes' on the 1882–83 tour of Australia?
Ivo Bligh
Ivo Bligh's side won two of the three Tests, and he went home with the urn and a new wife, Florence Morphy, whom he met on that tour.
Q 07The Ashes urn's contents are most likely the ashes of what?
A wooden bail
A wooden bail: in one telling, a bail was burnt after a Christmas match at Rupertswood, a Victorian estate hosting England's players, and kept in a perfume bottle.
Q 08Which cricket club owns the original Ashes urn?
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club received the urn as a private gift from a captain's widow, so it has never been the series' official trophy.
Q 09The Ashes Trophy presented since 1998-99 is made of what?
Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal: a silver replica was first planned, but the glassmaker offered a crystal one free of charge, as the original urn was too fragile to travel.
Q 10Roughly how tall is the original urn?
About 10 centimetres
About 10 centimetres: the little urn seldom leaves Lord's, yet it was flown to Australia to accompany the 2006–07 series.
Q 11What happens to the Ashes if a series is drawn?
The holders retain them
The holders retain them, which is how Australia kept the urn in 2023: rain washed out the fourth Test's final day with Australia 2–1 up and one Test left.
Q 12Which Australian captain regained the Ashes on the 1989 tour of England?
Allan Border
Allan Border's 1989 side began a long reign in which Australia held the urn until England finally won it back in 2005.
Q 13In which city was the first-ever Test match played, in 1877?
Melbourne
Melbourne: Australia won that first Test by 45 runs, and when the sides met on the same ground for the 1977 Centenary Test, they won by exactly 45 runs again.
Q 21What nickname was given to Bradman's unbeaten 1948 touring side?
The Invincibles
Bradman turned 40 during the tour, his last of England.
Q 22Which England batter made a then world-record Test score of 364 at The Oval in 1938?
Len Hutton
Len Hutton batted for more than 13 hours as England made 903 for 7 declared and won by an innings and 579 runs.
Q 23Which England off-spinner took a record 19 wickets in the 1956 Old Trafford Test?
Jim Laker
Jim Laker took nothing until he switched to the Stretford End, from where he took all 19, while Tony Lock managed one wicket.
Q 14Which fast bowler was named Australia's Test captain shortly before the 2021–22 Ashes?
Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins took charge after Tim Paine resigned the captaincy just weeks before the series began.
Q 15Which England captain adopted the Bodyline tactic in 1932-33?
Douglas Jardine
Douglas Jardine believed Don Bradman struggled against balls rising into his chest, so he built England's attack around fast bowling at the body.
Q 16Which England all-rounder came out of Test retirement for the 2023 Ashes after Jack Leach was injured?
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali, who had quit Tests in 2021, came back after England's captain sent him a one-word message: 'Ashes?'
Q 17Which Nottinghamshire fast bowler was England's main Bodyline weapon in 1932–33?
Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood refused to apologise for bowling as his captain had told him, never played for England again, and in 1950 emigrated to Australia.
Q 18In which city did Australia's Bert Oldfield suffer a fractured skull during the 1932–33 Bodyline series?
Adelaide
Adelaide: as the crowd's booing turned to a howl, England's players looked for escape routes in case spectators invaded the field.
Q 19Bradman needed how many runs in his final innings to average exactly 100?
Four
Four: Eric Hollies bowled him second ball for a duck, so his career Test average finished at 99.94.
Q 20Which Australian fast bowler bowled Rory Burns with the very first ball of the 2021–22 Ashes?
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc's delivery set the tone as England were bowled out for 147 on the first day at the Gabba.
Q 24Who replaced Ian Botham as England captain before the 1981 Headingley Test?
Mike Brearley
Mike Brearley was recalled after Botham's 12 Tests as captain brought no wins, and he was credited with transforming Botham's fortunes.
Q 25At Headingley in 1981, what were England doing when Ian Botham came in and made 149 not out?
Following on
Following on: England were five down and still 122 behind when Botham came in, yet they went on to win by 18 runs.
Q 26Who took 8 for 43 to win the 1981 Headingley Test for England?
Bob Willis
Bob Willis took eight of the last nine wickets as Australia, chasing 130, slumped from 56 for 1 to 111 all out.
Q 27Which Australian off-spinner tore a calf at Lord's in 2023, during his 100th consecutive Test?
Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon still hobbled out to bat in the second innings, but the injury ended his series and Todd Murphy took over.
Q 28In which room at Lord's were Australia's players confronted by spectators during the 2023 Ashes Test?
The Long Room
The Long Room: the clash came as Australia walked through to lunch on the final day, and three of those involved were later suspended.
Q 29Who was bowled by Shane Warne's 'Ball of the Century' in 1993?
Mike Gatting
Mike Gatting stood staring at the pitch for several seconds before accepting he had been bowled and walking off.
Q 30Warne's only Test hat-trick came in an Ashes Test at which ground?
The MCG
The MCG hosted the 1994 Boxing Day Test, where David Boon completed Warne's hat-trick by catching Devon Malcolm.