Ashes Records in History: From Formation to Now
Back in 1882 the Australian team recorded an emphatic victory at The Oval and British newspaper the Sporting Times decreed that English cricket had died. In a satirical obituary, it wrote that “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”.
England’s indignant captain, Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, the eighth Earl of Darnley, vowed to reclaim those ashes on his team’s 1882-83 tour of Australia, which was then dubbed “the quest to regain the Ashes”.
When England took a 2-1 series lead, a group of Melbourne women presented Bligh with a small urn filled with the ashes of a wooden bail. Thus began one of the greatest sporting rivalries in history. It has encapsulated countless gripping contests, spanning 135 years and taking in some of the greatest stars the sport has ever seen, and here are the current records:
Which nation holds the most Ashes victories?
There have been 69 series since 1882 and it is remarkable to note that the two nations have an absolutely identical record going into the 2017/18 series. Australia have won 32, England have won 32 and five have been drawn.
England won the last series to move level in the all-time stakes, but Australia has a fantastic chance to reclaim the lead this summer. The home nation has won six of the last seven series, which puts Steve Smith and co firmly in the driving seat this time around.
Over at Oddschecker.com the Australia team is also the clear favourite with every single bookmaker to win the series and they certainly have the talent to capitalise on England’s weaknesses.
Who has won the most Ashes tests?
That would be Australia, who have a 130-106 lead, while 89 have been drawn. The two nations may have won an equal number of series, but Australia’s victories have been more comprehensive.
Which team has hit the most centuries?
Again, Australia have the lead in this respect as its players have hit 264 centuries in Ashes tests, while England’s cricketers have made 212.
Who has taken the most wickets in a series?
England’s Jim Laker took an astonishing 46 wickets in the 1956 Ashes series. The highlight came in the Manchester Test, where he became the first bowler of all time to take all 10 wickets in a test innings. He finished 19-90 to inspire England to a famous win, and those remain the best figures ever posted by anyone in a test match anywhere in the world.
Who has the most wickets of all time?
That honour goes to the legendary Shane Warne, who took 195 wickets in 36 matches between 1993 and 2007.
Australians dominate this chart as Glenn McGrath, Hugh Trumble and Dennis Lillee complete the top four. Only then does the first Englishman, Sir Ian Botham, appear. Warne is out in front by 38 wickets and is unlikely to ever be caught. His tally represents a world record for most wickets against an opposition in tests, and England must have rejoiced when he retired.
Who has the most runs in a series?
In 1930 the legendary Don Bradman hit an outrageous 974 runs in just seven innings to inspire Australia to victory. In an extraordinary career, he also made 810 runs in the 1936/37 series, 758 runs in the 1934 Ashes and 680 runs in the 1946/47 series, giving him four of the top 10 best tallies of all time.
Who has the most runs of all time?
Who else but Bradman? He earned 5,028 runs in Ashes series, putting him miles ahead of the second best in this field – Englishman Sir Jack Hobbs, who hit 3,636. Surely nobody will ever come close to bettering Bradman’s record. He also holds the record for the most Ashes centuries – 19 in just 37 matches, which is better than a ton every two tests – and another for the highest average (89.78) in Ashes history.
Who has played the most matches?
Australia’s Syd Gregory played in 52 matches between 1890 and 1912, during which he hit 2,193 runs and notched four centuries. Steve Waugh is second on the list with 45 appearances, followed by England’s Colin Cowdrey. Of the current crop, former England captain Alastair Cook has the most appearances, with 30.
Who has recorded the highest total?
At The Oval in 1938 England finished 903-7 as levelled the series 1-1. It stood as a world record high score for 59-years, but Sri Lanka broke it in 1997. However, it is still the second highest total the world has ever seen and is unlikely to be beaten any time soon in an Ashes test.
The second highest total in Ashes history was the 729 that Australia recorded in 1930 at Lord’s, 174 runs short of England’s record. In that test they also earned the greatest winning margin in Ashes history: an innings and 579 runs.
Author bio
Martin Green is an experienced sports writer and has been covering international cricket for many years.