List of Ashes series

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A terracotta urn with two brass plaques on it sits on a wooden base. The urn is on display, with the glass surround and other exhibits visible in the background.
The Ashes urn, which remains at the MCC Museum at Lord's. A replica urn is presented to the winning captain.[1]

The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The series have varied in length, consisting of between one and seven Test matches, but since 1998 have been consistently five matches. It is the sport's most celebrated rivalry and dates back to 1882.[2][3][4] It is generally played biennially, alternating between the United Kingdom and Australia. Australia are the current holders of the Ashes, having retained them with a draw in the 2023 series.

History[edit]

Although the first Test series played between England and Australia was in the 1876–77 season,[5][6] the Ashes originated from the solitary Test which the two nations contested in 1882.[7] England lost the match, played at The Oval, and a mock obituary was posted in The Sporting Times, declaring the death of English cricket. It stated that: "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."[8] The Honourable Ivo Bligh adopted the term and, as captain of the English party that travelled to Australia the following winter, promised to bring the "Ashes" home.[1]

After its loss to Australia in 1882, England won the next eight series between the two sides, during which time it lost only four of the 22 Tests. Australia won an Ashes series for the first time in 1891–92, when it beat England 2–1.[6] The 1932–33 tour was known as the "Bodyline series" as, in response to the talented Australian batsman Don Bradman, England developed a tactic of bowling quickly at the body of the batsmen with most of the fielders placed in a close ring on the leg side.[9] England won the series, but the tactic prompted changes to the laws of cricket,[9] and the Australians, buoyed by the batting of Bradman,[10] regained the Ashes during the next series and then held them for six series, spanning nineteen years.[6] It was during this period that the Australians travelled to England in 1948, and remained unbeaten during the whole tour, gaining the nickname of "The Invincibles".[11] In addition to winning the five match Test series 4–0, Australia won or drew all of its 29 other matches against county and representative sides.[12]

Since 1882, only one series has been played between the two sides that was not deemed an Ashes series, that being the 3 Test Cricket series in the Australian summer of 1979–80, won by Australia 3–0. This was the first Australian home Test series with a unified team after two summers of World Series Cricket and was not deemed an ashes series as England had retained the Ashes 5–1 on Australian soil 12 months earlier. On three other occasions, a one-off commemorative Test Match was played in which the Ashes were not at stake, which were the 1977 Melbourne Centenary Test, the 1980 Lords Centenary Test and the 1988 Bicentennial Test played at the SCG in January 1988.[6]

Series records[edit]

Australia has won more Ashes Tests than England, winning 140 of the 340 matches, compared to England's 108 victories. Australia also holds the edge in Ashes series won, having won on 34 occasions compared to England's 32. There have been seven drawn series, and on six of these occasions, Australia has retained the Ashes due to being holders going into the series. England has retained the Ashes after a drawn series once.

On three occasions has a team won all the Tests in an Ashes series; only Australia has achieved the feat 5–0 in 1920–21, 2006–07 and 2013–14.[6] England's largest winning margin in an Ashes series was in 1978–79, when it won 5–1. England's largest unbeaten winning margin of 3–0 in an Ashes series was achieved in 1886, 1977 and 2013.

Both England and Australia have held the Ashes for a record eight consecutive series, England doing so between 1882–83 and 1890, while Australia achieved the feat from 1989 to 2002–03.[6]

Key[edit]

  • Years denotes the cricket season in which the series takes place.
  • Host denotes the host country for the series.
  • First match denotes the date on which the first match of the series commenced.
  • Tests denotes how many Tests were played in the series, and in parentheses (if different) the number of Tests that were scheduled to be played in the series.
  • Australia denotes how many matches in the series were won by Australia.
  • England denotes how many matches in the series were won by England.
  • Drawn denotes how many matches in the series were drawn.
  • Result denotes which side won the series overall, or if it was drawn.
  • Holder denotes which side was awarded (or retained) the Ashes at the end of the series of the matches

List of Ashes series[edit]

World War 2World War 1
Series Years Host First match Tests  Australia  England Drawn Result Holder Ref
1 1882–83  Australia 30 December 1882 3 1 2 0  England  England [13]
2 1884  England 11 July 1884 3 0 1 2  England  England [14]
3 1884–85  Australia 12 December 1884 5 2 3 0  England  England [15]
4 1886  England 5 July 1886 3 0 3 0  England  England [16]
5 1886–87  Australia 28 January 1887 2 0 2 0  England  England [17]
6 1887–88  Australia 10 February 1888 1 0 1 0  England  England [18]
7 1888  England 16 July 1888 3 1 2 0  England  England [19]
8 1890  England 21 July 1890 2 (3) 0 2 0  England  England [20]
9 1891–92  Australia 1 January 1892 3 2 1 0  Australia  Australia [21]
10 1893  England 17 July 1893 3 0 1 2  England  England [22]
11 1894–95  Australia 14 December 1894 5 2 3 0  England  England [23]
12 1896  England 22 June 1896 3 1 2 0  England  England [24]
13 1897–98  Australia 13 December 1897 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [25]
14 1899  England 1 June 1899 5 1 0 4  Australia  Australia [26]
15 1901–02  Australia 13 December 1901 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [27]
16 1902  England 29 May 1902 5 2 1 2  Australia  Australia [28]
17 1903–04  Australia 11 December 1903 5 2 3 0  England  England [29]
18 1905  England 29 May 1905 5 0 2 3  England  England [30]
19 1907–08  Australia 13 December 1907 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [31]
20 1909  England 27 May 1909 5 2 1 2  Australia  Australia [32]
21 1911–12  Australia 15 December 1911 5 1 4 0  England  England [33]
22 1912  England 27 May 1912 3 0 1 2  England  England [34]
23 1920–21  Australia 17 December 1920 5 5 0 0  Australia  Australia [35]
24 1921  England 28 May 1921 5 3 0 2  Australia  Australia [36]
25 1924–25  Australia 19 December 1924 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [37]
26 1926  England 12 June 1926 5 0 1 4  England  England [38]
27 1928–29  Australia 30 November 1928 5 1 4 0  England  England [39]
28 1930  England 13 June 1930 5 2 1 2  Australia  Australia [40]
29 1932–33  Australia 2 December 1932 5 1 4 0  England  England [41]
30 1934  England 8 June 1934 5 2 1 2  Australia  Australia [42]
31 1936–37  Australia 4 December 1936 5 3 2 0  Australia  Australia [43]
32 1938  England 10 June 1938 4 (5) 1 1 2 Drawn  Australia [44]
33 1946–47  Australia 29 November 1946 5 3 0 2  Australia  Australia [45]
34 1948  England 10 June 1948 5 4 0 1  Australia  Australia [46]
35 1950–51  Australia 1 December 1950 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [47]
36 1953  England 11 June 1953 5 0 1 4  England  England [48]
37 1954–55  Australia 26 November 1954 5 1 3 1  England  England [49]
38 1956  England 7 June 1956 5 1 2 2  England  England [50]
39 1958–59  Australia 5 December 1958 5 4 0 1  Australia  Australia [51]
40 1961  England 8 June 1961 5 2 1 2  Australia  Australia [52]
41 1962–63  Australia 30 November 1962 5 1 1 3 Drawn  Australia [53]
42 1964  England 4 June 1964 5 1 0 4  Australia  Australia [54]
43 1965–66  Australia 10 December 1965 5 1 1 3 Drawn  Australia [55]
44 1968  England 6 June 1968 5 1 1 3 Drawn  Australia [56]
45 1970–71  Australia 27 November 1970 6 (7) 0 2 4  England  England [57]
46 1972  England 8 June 1972 5 2 2 1 Drawn  England [58]
47 1974–75  Australia 29 November 1974 6 4 1 1  Australia  Australia [59]
48 1975  England 10 July 1975 4 1 0 3  Australia  Australia [60]
49 1977  England 16 June 1977 5 0 3 2  England  England [61]
50 1978–79  Australia 1 December 1978 6 1 5 0  England  England .[62]
51 1981  England 18 June 1981 6 1 3 2  England  England [63]
52 1982–83  Australia 12 November 1982 5 2 1 2  Australia  Australia [64]
53 1985  England 13 June 1985 6 1 3 2  England  England [65]
54 1986–87  Australia 14 November 1986 5 1 2 2  England  England [66]
55 1989  England 8 June 1989 6 4 0 2  Australia  Australia [67]
56 1990–91  Australia 23 November 1990 5 3 0 2  Australia  Australia [68]
57 1993  England 3 June 1993 6 4 1 1  Australia  Australia [69]
58 1994–95  Australia 25 November 1994 5 3 1 1  Australia  Australia [70]
59 1997  England 5 June 1997 6 3 2 1  Australia  Australia [71]
60 1998–99  Australia 20 November 1998 5 3 1 1  Australia  Australia [72]
61 2001  England 5 July 2001 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [73]
62 2002–03  Australia 7 November 2002 5 4 1 0  Australia  Australia [74]
63 2005  England 21 July 2005 5 1 2 2  England  England [75]
64 2006–07  Australia 23 November 2006 5 5 0 0  Australia  Australia [76]
65 2009  England 8 July 2009 5 1 2 2  England  England [77]
66 2010–11  Australia 25 November 2010 5 1 3 1  England  England [78]
67 2013  England 10 July 2013 5 0 3 2  England  England [79]
68 2013–14  Australia 21 November 2013 5 5 0 0  Australia  Australia [80]
69 2015  England 8 July 2015 5 2 3 0  England  England [81]
70 2017–18  Australia 23 November 2017 5 4 0 1  Australia  Australia [82]
71 2019  England 1 August 2019 5 2 2 1 Drawn  Australia [83]
72 2021–22  Australia 8 December 2021 5 4 0 1  Australia  Australia [84]
73 2023  England 16 June 2023 5 2 2 1 Drawn  Australia [85]

Summary of results[edit]

Played Won by
Australia
Won by
England
Drawn
Ashes Tests in Australia 172 90 (52.3%) 56 (32.6%) 26 (15.1%)
Ashes Tests in England 173 52 (30.1%) 54 (31.2%) 67 (38.7%)
All Ashes Tests 345 142 (41.2%) 110 (31.9%) 93 (27%)
ALL Tests 361 152 (42.1%) 112 (30.7%) 97 (26.9%)
Ashes Series in Australia 36 20 (54.3%) 14 (40%) 2 (5.7%)
Ashes Series in England 37 14 (37.8%) 18 (48.6%) 5 (13.5%)
All Ashes Series 73 34 (46.6%) 32 (43.8%) 7* (9.6%)
As at 31 July 2023

*Ashes retained by Australia six times because of drawn series (1938; 1962-63; 1965-66; 1968; 2019 and 2023) and by England once (1972).

Notes and references[edit]

Notes
References
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  7. ^ Williamson, Martin. "A short history of the Ashes". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  8. ^ Altham, H.S.; Swanton, E.W. (1938) [1926]. "England v Australia: 1882–1890". A History of Cricket (Second ed.). London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. p. 170.
  9. ^ a b ESPNcricinfo staff. "A dummy's guide to Bodyline". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
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  11. ^ "Sporting greats – Australia reveres and treasures its sporting heroes". Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011. The 1948 Australian cricket team captained by Don Bradman, for example, became known as 'The Invincibles' for their unbeaten eight-month tour of England. This team is one of Australia's most cherished sporting legends.
  12. ^ "Australians in England, 1948". ESPNcricinfo. 30 May 2008. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011. Originally published in: Preston, Hubert, ed. (1949). Wisden Cricketer's Almanack 1949 (86 ed.). London: Sporting Handbooks Ltd.
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  21. ^ "The Ashes 1891/92 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  22. ^ "The Ashes 1893 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
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  71. ^ "The Ashes 1997 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
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  75. ^ "The Ashes 2005 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  76. ^ "The Ashes 2006/07 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 2 January 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  77. ^ "The Ashes 2009 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
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  81. ^ "The Ashes 2015 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  82. ^ "The Ashes 2017 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  83. ^ "The Ashes 2019 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  84. ^ "The Ashes 2021/22 / Results". ESPNcricinfo.
  85. ^ "The Ashes 2023 / Fixtures and Results". ESPNcricinfo.

External links[edit]