They aren't the ashes of a person. The tradition is that it is the ashes of the bails from the wickets of the first Ashes test. The name came from a editorial of a newspaper saying (after an English defeat) that English cricket had died and the ashes sent to Australia.
He didn't!
Go To images.google.com and search "The Ashes Trophy".
The 'Ashes' are the ashes of the first bails used in the first cricket test between England and Australia.
it was in 1882 and Australia beat England in cricket the Australian team then burnt the bails (not the stumps or ball) to mark the first ever official game and to this day England and Australia compete for the ashes (that's why the wining team holds up an urn as there trophy)
The Ashes
The Ashes Urn
Australia.
England
Kept at Lords cricket ground in London the 'Ashes' is the trophy played for between England & Australia.
The year England lost and the Trophy was created was 1882, hope ths helps! =D
border-gavaskar trophy