The ongoing English summer is a pretty interesting one, with a high adrenaline rush bringing over 51000 people to the Perth Stadium on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test of this 2025-26 season. Even though 19 wickets fell and both teams are kind of done with their first innings batting, the story behind the Ashes is pretty odd and unique to still draw fans. Australia and England are two of those OG cricket beasts that still fight for the Ashes Urn over the ages. A "trophy" that was non-existent till 1998 had a long story since 1882—a story of a media taunt, a prank that ultimately turned out to be love. How a newspaper shaped a series name! England and Australia have always been rivals. However, in 1882, England was mocked by the media after being narrowly defeated by Australia in a one-off Test match at The Oval. Featuring "The Demon," Fred Spofforth, Australia thanked him for his fiery 19 for 90 runs spell as Australia won the match by 7 runs. A journalist named Reginald Shirley Brooks wrote in a daily, The Sporting Times mockingly wrote, "In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. R.I.P. N.B. The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia." Credits: Historic UK That was the first time the Ashes bell rang. The Ashes Urn—A gift to captain Ivo Bligh Later, in around 1882-83, England, led by Ivo Bligh, toured Australia for a friendly Test series, which he won by 2-1. However, before coming to Australia, he embraced the newspaper joke and announced touring Australia "to regain the Ashes." Even though many laughed, Australia was entertained and named the tour "The Quest for the Ashes." Read also: Why Australia Shows Wickets Before Runs in Cricket Scorecard: Know Here What was inside the Ashes URN? It was basically a small 11 cm terracotta perfume bottle filled with Ashes that was given to Ivo Bligh by the Australian elite women. Notably, Bligh, in 1882 visited the Rupertswood mansion in Victoria, owned by Sir William Clarke. Clarke's wife, lady Janet Clarke, was a cricket fanatic and a witty lady by nature. In one holiday party, she decided to play along with the newspaper joke. She and her ladies got the perfume bottle, filled it with Ashes, and gave it to Bligh. Well, there are many stories regarding what is inside the bottle. According to the MCC, the perfume bottle has the ashes of a cricket ball. However, according to Australian historians, Janet Clarke's veil was torn. Instead of throwing it away, she decided to burn it and then fill the urn with its ashes. Ashes Urn brought love in Bligh's life Captain Ivo Bligh, who later became Lord Darnley, was married to Florence Morphy, the governess of the Clarke Family. It is believed that Morphy was the one who handed the Urn to Bligh. They fell in love during the tour and got married. Notably, the urn was with the Bligh family till his death. After he passed away, his widow Florence gave it to MCC, which is now in the Lord's Museum. Do the teams get the Urn on the winning the Ashes series? No. What the teams get is a replica of the terracotta urn. First of all, the tour was named as The Ashes in the early 1990s. The trophy came much later, in around 1988.