In her glorious old imperialist days, England exported her national sport so fervently that the sun never set on cricket.* The ones who learned cricket best, England discovered to her sorrow, were the sturdy Australians. After England's second loss to the Aussies, the despondent London Sporting Times wrote: "English cricket . . . died at the oval, Aug. 29, 1882 . . . The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia." The Ashes eventually became the invisible symbol of victory in the matches. For the last 20 years, down-under cricketers have held on to the Ashes. Last week...
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