ECB apologises after awkward Ashes post involving Pope

The England and Wales Cricket Board has apologised after its social media staff reposted a message from the account of Pope Francis and suggested the pontiff, who is in hospital being treated for double pneumonia, was a fan of the Ashes series.

The post on the X account of Pope Francis was sent out on Tuesday ahead of Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent when the foreheads of Roman Catholics are marked with the ashes of burnt palm leaves.

"The #Ashes remind us of who we are, which does us good," the message started.

England Cricket's account reposted it along with the message, "Even @Pontifex loves the Ashes", a reference to the Ashes rivalry between the England and Australia cricket teams.

"This was an ill-judged post and was swiftly deleted," an ECB spokesman said. "We apologise for any offence."

Pope Francis, an Argentine soccer fan, on Thursday sent his first audio message since being taken to hospital nearly three weeks ago, expressing thanks to well-wishers from around the world who had offered him their support.

The next edition of the Ashes cricket series, which gets its name from a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper after Australia first won a test in England in 1882, takes place later this year.