Cricket is a well-loved sport around the South Asia region as well as in Australia and New Zealand. And Australian fans of the sport are certainly excited as the 2017-2018 Ashes series is just around the corner.  Australia is set to face England in the series with its first game scheduled on November 23 in Brisbane.

Test Games

The Ashes series is a five-game test match series between Australia and England. A Test Cricket game is the longest and highest standard of cricket. What sets it apart from other sports is its length as each test match consists of three sessions, two hours in length. What makes cricket unique is that it gives everyone a break from the game. Namely, a 40-minute break for lunch, and 20 minutes for tea.

It’s called a “test” game as the game’s length usually “tests” the players’ endurance. The earliest recorded test match was between England and Australia. The games were played over a span of five days from March 15 to 19 1877. Australia won the game by 45 runs.

english flag

The Ashes

Cricket’s history goes way back, and even its famous series games have an impressive background. The Ashes cricket series between rival teams Australia and England originated from a satirical obituary published in the British newspaper The Sporting Times.  

The mock obituary was published after Australia’s first series win on English soil, and it said jokingly that English cricket had died and that its body will be cremated and the ashes taken back to Australia.

Since that publication, ashes were immediately associated with the 1882-1883 series, which was played in Australia, where English captain Ivo Bligh vowed to regain those ashes from the Australians. The media caught on and dubbed the series “The Quest to Regain the Ashes.”

England went on to win that series, and they were presented a small urn. Its contents were supposedly the “ashes of Australian cricket.”

And thus, The Ashes tournament was born and is hosted alternately by England and Australia. As of 2015, England is the current holder of the Ashes.

england cricket

The Ashes Series 2017-2018

This year, Australia is set to host the series against England. Whether you’re a long-term fan of cricket or just looking to watch a game for the first time, The Ashes Test Series is a must watch. Not only will it be played by two countries with a hundred-year rivalry, but it’s also a great way to spend an afternoon with your mates as you cheer on your favourite team.

Each of the five games will be held in a different arena all across Australia as seen in the schedule below:

1st Test: November 23-27

Gabba, Brisbane

2nd test: December 2-6 (D/N)

Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

3rd test: December 14-18

WACA Ground, Perth

4th Test: December 26-30

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

5th Test: January 4-8, 2018

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

There is indeed no time like the present. Catch the first game of the series this November! Take your car with a few of your mates and head on down to the Gabba and witness some world class cricket!

Don’t have a car? No problem. You can rent one from Alpha Brisbane at a reasonable price. You also get to choose which car you want to take from our extensive fleet. Driving alone? You can rent one of our compact cars! Driving with a large group? Then maybe an SUV is much better suited for you. All of our vehicles are guaranteed to be in good driving condition and with a full tank. So, all you have to do is drive away. So, call us and make your reservations today!