In 1882, when Captain Ivo Bligh, later to be Lord Darnley, and his team embarked on their crusade to Australia in order to restore the honour of English cricket, no one could have believed that this would be the start of a titanic struggle, one that would last more than a hundred years.
English cricket had been humiliated by the previous summer's defeat at the Oval. After that match had come the infamous mock obituary, which concluded that the body would be cremated, and the ashes taken to Australia. Lord Darnley's team, having won the decisive third Test Match down under, were presented with a small urn containing the burnt remains of a bail: these were to become The Ashes!
The five series that have been of exception were :
- The first official series in 1882, when England won 2-1 in Australia.
- The famous 1932 -33 Bodyline series when England resorted to new tactics to combat the mighty Don Bradman.
- The 1948 series when the all conquering Australians won 4-0 and were nicknamed The Invincibles.
- The 1981 series was another classic when England came from behind to win 3-1 and were later known as Botham's Ashes .
- The series in 2005 which England also won also produced some of the most tense and exciting cricket and will be immortalised as being the best to date.
Lifelong cricket fan Peter Lennon along with Three Slips & A Gully has recorded the new Ashes anthem to inspire the players and fans as England prepare to do battle for the Ashes in Australia this winter.
Freddie Flintoff's favourite song "The Ring of Fire " by Johnny Cash has now become " England's On Fire" - with the lyrics ....
We're going down to Melbourne in the Summer
We're going down down down .... to steal their thunder
Keep that Urn of Ashes burning ...... England's On Fire
England's On Fire will also be part of a CD to be released in time for this Christmas; containing other classics such as The Ashes 2005, The History of the Ashes and an instrumental version of Parry's classic Jerusalem.
This article was written by Peter Lennon, who has been publishing and performing music for many years. Peter is the main man behind Lennon Music. As a tribute to the England cricket team , Lennon Music have re-recorded
Freddie Flintoff's favourite song "The Ring of Fire", originally by Johnny Cash, now called "The Ring of Fire".
Peter Lennon's own web site, Lennon Music is where you can listen to music samples, and also has a link where you can buy England's on Fire, the soon to be famous ashes anthem, just the track to inspire the players and fans as they battle for the Ashes in Australia this winter.
Source: www.a1articles.com
