Unfortunately for Australia , they'll enter the coming Ashes with their inspirational leader under a cloud.

Not Patrick Cummins, to be clear, who despite a back injury should be ready to captain Australia's cricket side against England in November.

No, they'll be without Mat Ryan , who has been left out of the Socceroos' squad for fixtures against New Zealand across the next week after only just securing a move to Levante , as well as Jackson Irvine , who will miss as he continues his recovery from a foot injury suffered earlier in the year.

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Because while it's by far and away the most well-known of the two -- with good reason, since the celebrated urn that Australia and England battle for dates back to 1882 --

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