Available Answers

1. 1.

   Some significant events in England-Australia cricket are mentioned here. Find, in the text, the year in which each of them happened.

   1. The England-Australia cricket series started being called 'the Ashes Series'.
   2. The idea of English cricket being dead and burnt to ashes appeared in a newspaper.
   3. England and Australia started playing a series of five test matches every two years.
   4. Cricket matches acquired the definite shape of test matches.
   5. Bodyline bowling became a big issue.
2. 2.

   Answer these questions about how the series came to be called 'the Ashes'.

   1. Whose defeat in a match led to talk about death, cremation and ashes?
   2. What was special about that defeat?
   3. Who referred to 'the Ashes' and in what context? Who made it known to the public?
   4. Who referred to it again two years later and in what form?
   5. Who created the first Ashes trophy and who recieved it? How was it made? 
3. 3.

   Answer these questions about Don Bradman.

   1. In which year did he first play in an Ashes series?
   2. Who won the series? How did Bradman perform?
   3. Who won the next series two years later? How is Bradman's performance in it described in the text?
   4. Where was the next series played? What happened during the series?
4. 4.

   Answer these questions about bodyline bowling.

   1. Who (which team, which captain) decided to use fast, rising balls pitched on the leg stump, repeatedly, with close-in fielders around the leg stump? What prompted such a decision?
   2. Was such bowling within the rules of cricket? In what ways its present use different?
   3. How did the spectators, the newspapers, the public and other cricketers all react to such bowling? What was their main point?
   4. Was such bowling used in the years that followed? Is it used/accepted today?
5. 5.

   Read these statements about who won or lost what as a result of bodyline bowling. Say whether they are true (T) or not true (NT).

   1. The Australian Cricket Board won an argument against MCC.
   2. Jardine's team won the Ashes in the year such bowling was first used.
   3. Jardine lost his popularity and future opportunities to play in the Ashes series.
   4. Bradman won increasing popularity and went on to higher achievements as a batsman.