Every great Anglo-Australian Test series has been described as 'epic', but rarely is the term understood in its literal sense. Yet the Ashes rivalry bears striking structural similarities to Homer's ancient Greek poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey.
As each new series approaches, the first ball of the first Test becomes a microcosm of the entire contest. From Michael Slater's imperious boundary in 1994 to Zak Crawley's crunch off Pat Cummins in 2023, or even Steve Harmison's wayward opening delivery in 2006, these moments set the tone for the battles ahead.
Homer's Iliad begins with the Greek word 'menin' meaning wrath – a theme that defines the entire poem. In Ashes history, Mitchell Johnson's vengeful 2013-14 series, in which he took 37 wickets at an average of 13.97 after being mocked in 2010-11, mirrors Achilles' fury in the Trojan War. Similarly, Mitchell Starc's destruction of Rory Burns's stumps in 2021 contained a flavour of vengeance after England's 2019 heroics.
The Odyssey opens with 'andra' meaning man, encapsulating the hero's journey. While no single Ashes moment perfectly captures this, the individual feats of players like Ben Stokes in 2019 or Steve Smith's relentless run-scoring evoke Odysseus's trials. The Ashes, like Homer's epics, are monumental narratives defined by their opening acts.
