To celebrate the start of the eagerly anticipated Ashes series in Australia, MCC and the Cricket Foundation have today launched a series of exciting new Ashes quizzes for school children in England and Australia to enjoy.

Working in partnership with the Chance to Shine programme – an initiative supported by Brit Insurance to regenerate and encourage competitive cricket in state schools all over the country – MCC and the Cricket Foundation have developed a fun Ashes Quiz to accompany each of the five Test matches being played in Australia this winter.

Each quiz – located at http://www.lords.org/ashesquiz - will include a range of enjoyable multiple choice questions, incorporating entertaining video clips and photos, and will focus on several aspects of the Ashes, including the history and memorable moments. Questions will also be used to teach children about the values of sportsmanship, and promote the MCC Spirit of Cricket message of “play hard, play fair, have fun”.

A further ‘twinning’ project being co-ordinated by the Cricket Foundation to link Chance to Shine primary schools in England with schools in Australia during the Ashes winter will increase the opportunities for children to get involved with the quizzes.

John Stephenson, MCC’s Head of Cricket said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for thousands of school children to learn about one of the greatest sporting contests in the world, whilst promoting the key MCC Spirit of Cricket message in an innovative and fun way. We hope that the Ashes quizzes will help encourage children to play hard and play fair”.

Steve Peyman, Operations Director at the Cricket Foundation said: “The Ashes is the pinnacle of competition in cricket and the quizzes will enable thousands of children in Chance to Shine schools across the country to experience that excitement."