urn

The only other time since then they have won the urn down under was in 2010-11, when they batted the Aussies into oblivion for a famous first-Test draw.

By the time England came to their senses, they were 2-0 down and reliant on the Manchester weather in their quest to regain the urn.

When she later went to collect the cat's ashes, she saw the urn had been labelled "Not Dead Ted".

Having played in five unsuccessful Ashes series, Thorpe was left out when Vaughan's side famously won back the urn in 2005, the younger batting options of Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen preferred.

As part of that ritual, the skeletal remains of one of the men were immersed in a liquid inside a glass funerary urn.