What is the Ashes cricket series and why is it called so?

Australia and England have enjoyed a fierce cricketing rivalry for over 140 years. The latest edition of the clash known as the Ashes starts in Perth on Friday.

WHY IS THE SERIES CALLED THE ASHES?

The name has its origins in a mock obituary in a British newspaper that mourned the death of English cricket following a loss to a touring team from the then Australian colonies in 1882. "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia," it lamented.

England captain Ivo Bligh fulfilled a pledge to "recover those ashes" when he led the team to a series win in Australia a few months later.

The teams play for a crystal trophy and a replica of a tiny terracotta urn presented to Bligh which is on permanent display at Lord's cricket ground in London, the spiritual home of the game.

If the series is drawn, the holders retain the Ashes.

WHY IS THE RIVALRY SO PASSIONATE?

Originally a children's game, cricket was codified in England in the 1740s and successfully exported around the British Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Early English teams with the means to undertake the long journey to Australia were invariably "gentlemen", while their opponents were settlers, not all voluntary, toiling in tough conditions on the fringes of the empire.

Touring England teams would find a hostile media and rowdy crowds laden with chancers, gamblers and the children of transported convicts keen to see them fail.

Controversies, most notably the "Bodyline" series of the 1930s which threatened diplomatic relations between the two nations, have continued at regular intervals to keep the competitive fire alive.

WHERE, WHEN AND AT WHAT TIME DO THE MATCHES TAKE PLACE?

Ashes series alternate between the English and Australian summers at roughly two-year intervals.

There are five test matches in different cities across Australia in this series, each taking place over a maximum of five days. The matches start mid-morning and run to the early evening with breaks for lunch and tea.

The second test is a day-night match, which is played with a pink rather than red ball to make it easier for the players to pick it out under the floodlights in the late sessions.

• First test - November 21-25, Perth, 10:30 am (0230 GMT)
• Second test - December 4-8, Brisbane 02:30 pm (0430 GMT)
• Third test - December 17-21, Adelaide 10:30 am (0000 GMT)
• Fourth test - December 26-30, Melbourne 10:30 am (2330 GMT)
• Fifth test - January 4-8, Sydney 10:30 am (2330 GMT)

WHO'S PLAYING AND WHO IS GOING TO WIN?

Australia have held the Ashes since taking the 2017-18 series and have won the last three series on home soil without allowing England a single match win.

They have an ageing team, however, and will be without captain Pat Cummins and his fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood for at least the first match in Perth due to injury.

Cummins, Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and spin bowler Nathan Lyon have formed one of the most potent bowling attacks in world cricket for the last decade or so.

Two of the most prolific batters of the modern era, England's Joe Root and Australia's Steve Smith, will be vying to add to their considerable run tallies.

In recent seasons England have embraced an aggressive style of batting, known as "Bazball" after coach Brendon "Baz" McCullum, which they hope will unsettle their hosts.

All-rounder Ben Stokes, captaining England for the first time in an Ashes series Down Under, has the ability to turn a match with both bat and ball.

Strong fast bowling with plenty of back-ups in case of injury has been the secret to winning on Australia's hard wickets and England have two of the quicker bowlers in the world in Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.

AUSTRALIA

World ranking: 1

Captain: Pat Cummins (Steve Smith to deputise in first test) Coach: Andrew McDonald

Top-ranked test batter: Steve Smith (4)

Top-ranked test bowler: Pat Cummins (4)

First test squad: Steve Smith (captain), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Jake Weatherald, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett.

ENGLAND

World ranking: 2

Captain: Ben Stokes

Coach: Brendon McCullum

Top-ranked test batter: Joe Root (1)

Top-ranked test bowler: Gus Atkinson (10) First test squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Matches: 345
• Australia wins: 142
• England wins: 110
• Draws: 93