Billy Murdoch led the Australian team to England in 1882. The series was at the time considered to be a first-class cricket tour of England but the match at the Oval between the Australians and an England side led by AN Hornby was later accepted to be a Test match. It was a low-scoring affair on a difficult wicket. Australia made a mere 63 runs in its first innings, and England took a 38-run lead after posting 101. In their second innings, the Australians, boosted by a spectacular 55 runs off 60 deliveries from Hugh Massie, managed 122, which left England needing only 85 runs to win. The Australians were greatly demoralised by the manner of their second-innings collapse, but fast bowler Fred Spofforth, spurred on by some gamesmanship by his opponents, refused to give in. "This thing can be done," he declared as he devastate the English batting to secure an eight run win.

Up to that point, England had remained undefeated at home. This famous Australian victory was widely condemned in the English press leading to publication of the satirical obituary which stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the "ashes" taken to Australia. The English media then dubbed the next English tour to Australia in 1882–83 as the quest to regain The Ashes and the legend was born.

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