The Ashes 2013-14: Fans smuggle in ashes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

The largest cricket ground in the world, the MCG, was subject to a rather bizarre event recently. Some 30,000 fans had gathered at this iconic ground, venue to the fourth Ashes Test match on an open day; when some of these fan took the status of this ground as an Ashes Venue literally by smuggling in the mortal remains of their loved ones to scatter on the turf.

The Melbourne Cricket Club does not allow scattering of ashes at the ground (who would allow, anyways?). After the fans left the ground several piles of remains were discovered. MCC spokesman Shane Brown pointed out that these ashes were a potential hazard to the athletes and as such wont be left scattered for long.

“Often you find in the ashes there are small fragments of bone that are left in the ash and that can be quite sharp and jagged and for footballers and cricketers running across the turf that can be quite dangerous,” he said.

“The most important message for anyone who wants to do this is to understand that over time their loved one’s ashes will actually be removed from the MCG and discarded into waste, because we replace the turf quite regularly as part of our maintenance programme.

“So anyone’s ashes that were on the turf won’t stay at the MCG, which was the intention in the first place.”

Sounds like a warning for the future?