Cricket originated in its modern form in England (although a basic form of the sport can be traced back to the 13th century), and has been an established team sport for several centuries. It is popular mainly in present and former Commonwealth member countries. In some South Asian countries, such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, cricket is the most popular sport.
There are different types of cricket: those played professionally at an international level are Test cricket, One-day cricket and Twenty20.
There are many cricket events within England and it is very popular within schools and there are many schools competitions.
Undoubtedly the most famous cricket match within the UK is the ashes test.

The Ashes is a Test cricket series, played between England and Australia - it is international cricket's oldest and most celebrated rivalry since 1882. It is currently played approximately every two years, alternately in England and Australia.
If a series is drawn, the country holding the Ashes retains them. The last Ashes series was played in England in 2005 when England regained The Ashes after a gap of 16. The 2006 - 2007 Ashes were played in Australia.

The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of one-day cricket. The event is organized by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and is contested by Test-playing nations (currently the ten teams officially allowed to play the longest form and highest level of cricket) and qualifiers. The championship is held around every four years (since the 1975 inaugural edition). The Women's Cricket World Cup has been also held on a four-year schedule since 1973, two years before the first men's competition. Read on for the results of the Ashes!

The Ashes are done and dusted! Following some spectacular sportsmanship, the results are finally in. The Ashes are traditionally comprised of 5 separate “Tests”. To find out how England did this time around, first have a look at the above results table, that includes individual Test results, locations and dates.

Held from the 23rd November 2006 to January 5th 2007, this year’s series was a fast-paced, enthralling event, with spectacular play. Australia won the series, headed by team captain Ricky Ponting who was named Player of the Series. Leading the England team was Andrew Flintoff. If you missed out on this thrilling event, unfortunately you’re going to have to wait until 2009!

The Ashes are held every two years, and the next series will be held in the UK, at the following venues: the Brit Oval, Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord’s and Glamorgan’s Sophia Gardens in Wales.

Although England’s defeat was a shame, the team and it’s captain remained good sports. When asked about losing to Australia, Andrew Flintoff remarked “We came up against a side that’s been fantastic throughout”.