BATTERSEA Badgers have declared the King’s Road is DEAD – echoing an historic article that sparked The Ashes rivalry 127 years ago.

The controversial club comment was posted in a match report written by the Orange Caps’ bitter rivals after the Badgers beat them by 88-runs.

The two clubs are already bitter rivals – having both been formed within weeks and played their first game against each other.

But until Saturday’s match, the Badgers hadn’t ever won the crucial first Battersea derby of the season – and for two seasons they’ve been comprehensively outplayed by The Road.

Now the triumphant Badgers claim the tide has turned, and have declared: “The King’s(RCSC) is dead, Long live the Badgers.”

It is a chilling warning similiar to the satirical obituary published in The Sporting Times in 1882, after the match at The Oval in which Australia beat England on an English ground for the first time.

The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken Down Under. The British media then dubbed England’s next tour to Oz in 1882–83 as the quest to regain The Ashes.

And – just like that historic article – the Badgers’ piece is sure to send shock waves through the King’s Road Cricket & Social Club and spark a bitter reaction.

A club insider said: “It looks like they’re trying to provoke an historic rivalry of their own. But if they think they can get away with that they must be from a different hemisphere.

“It’s like a declaration of war – we’re not taking that! If it was designed to anger us then it’s done its job. The only thing is now we’re really fired up.

“We’re going to roar back at the Badgers and claim our rightful spot as South London’s best rubbish cricket team.”

King’s Road take on the Badgers next on June 23 in a Twenty20 clash before the two sides meet again to fight out the first ever Battersea Super Test over two days.