Grand claims can and are made over the importance of the Ashes, all four inches of it.

It is to many the most evocative of prizes, blessed with suitably mythical beginnings involving Victorian nobility and, of course, a love interest.

But it is, after all, only contested between two countries in a sport that is not one of the world's most popular.

"There are probably quite a lot of Frenchmen who have never heard of the Ashes," said Stephen Green, the curator of the museum at Lord's and de facto guardian of the urn.

Green oversees an unparalleled array of cricket memorabilia, housed in a collection of rooms behind the pavilion at Lord's.

That urn is, of course, the main attraction, but there is much, much else.

There are portraits ranging from the third Duke of Dorset to a stubbly Graham Gooch, from an 18th century bat to a ball autographed by Shane Warne after he had claimed the man-of-the-match award in the 1999 World Cup final.

It is also the home of the new World Championship trophy.

The shiny, four foot long mace wrapped in a slither of gold could not provide a greater contrast to the tiny, home made Ashes urn.

The one thing they have in common is Australia - they hold them both.

But when it comes to the Ashes it is in name only - although that will not provide any comfort to Nasser Hussain if, some would say when, Steve Waugh's side win this series.

The Ashes may have been created in Australia, but since they were brought back by the Honourable Ivo Bligh in the closing years of the 19th century they have only been back down under once.

And that was with the Queen.