Howard appeals for a turn with the urn

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, used the front page of a tabloid newspaper yesterday to appeal to England to hand over the Ashes urn to Australia in the wake of the latest series win.

Australians are infuriated that the trophy resides at the MCC in London, despite their run of eight consecutive Ashes wins. Mr Howard, a cricket fan, made his intervention after Australia's victory in the third Test of the five-match series in Perth last Sunday.

In a statement designed to appeal to the British sense of justice, Mr Howard said: "Given our sustained supremacy, it is not unreasonable to argue the urn should be on display in Australia. I ask our English friends to look at it this way: if the urn were to come to Australia, then they would have a greater incentive to win it back."

Earlier this year, English and Australian officials held discussions about bringing the urn to Australia for display. However, after advice from conservation experts, English officials decided it was too delicate to survive the journey. Other experts in Australia have disputed that advice.

Howard said the urn was the most treasured sporting trophy in the eyes of most Australians, and it would be a real gesture on the part of English cricket authorities to allow it to come to Australia.

"While the location of the Ashes trophy is not going to strain diplomatic relations between Australia and the United Kingdom, I strongly support the Australian Cricket Board's efforts to allow the nation's cricket supporters to view the hallowed trophy," he said.

However, an MCC spokesman yesterday pointed out that the urn is the MCC's property. "The Ashes urn is not the official trophy and never has been," he said. "It was a private gift to the then captain of England and on his death it was bequeathed to the MCC.

"The Waterford Crystal Ashes Trophy commissioned in 1999 is the official trophy and that will be presented to Steve Waugh on the final day of the final Test in Sydney. As far as we are concerned Australia have every right to the Ashes trophy and they will receive it.

"As far as the urn is concerned that remains the property of the MCC. It is our intention to exhibit it in Australia as soon as it has been fully restored."