Ashes – Greatest England victories
Something to chew over - and make all Englishmen feel a tad better after England's poor showing in the first Test in Brisbane, which ended in Australia winning by 277 runs. Ouch!
December 11-17 1903
Sydney, 1st Test
England won by five wickets
RE Foster made a world record score of 287 on his debut and helped England to 577 all out, then the highest total in Test cricket. In the process he became the first man to share three century partnerships in one innings, the last of which - the 10th wicket with Wilfred Rhodes - remains an English record to this day. _____________________________________________________________________________________
February 9-13 1912
Melbourne, 4th Test
England won by an innings and 225 runs
Having won the toss, England bowlers Sydney Barnes and Frank Foster tore into the Aussies, sharing nine wickets between them. England's opening batsmen, Jack Hobbs and Wilfred Rhodes, took the match beyond their hosts with a near faultless first-wicket partnership of 323 - then a world record. After posting a mammoth total of 589 it was a matter of if, rather than when, Australia would subside. England regained the Ashes with a highly convincing performance.
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January 13-19 1933
Adelaide, 3rd Test
England won by 338 runs
The third Test of the ‘Bodyline’ series saw Douglas Jardine’s England being branded as ‘a disgrace to cricket’ by Wisden. Quick bowler Harold Larwood injured Aussie captain Bill Woodfull (chest) and Bertie Oldfield (cracked skull), and with Australian morale at a low ebb, England took control.
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February 12- 17 1971
Sydney, 7th Test
England won by 62 runs
Having had the third match rained off the only seventh Test in Ashes history was played to decide the series. After a contentious bouncer by England quick bowler John Snow cut Terry Jenner’s head the game was nearly abandoned. Much to the disgust of Captain Ray Illingworth, Snow was warned by the umpire, only to be manhandled on the boundary by a disgruntled drunken spectator. With beer cans being thrown onto the ground, Illingworth marched his team from the field only to be warned by the umpires that victory would be forfeited to the hosts if England did not return. On the resumption, England set Australia a testing target and the match was delicately poised with Australia requiring 100 runs with five wickets remaining when Illingworth had Greg Chappell stumped. Australia's tail collapsed and Illingworth, having led his team off three days earlier, was chaired off in triumph having regained the Ashes.
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16-21 July 1981
Headingley, 3rd Test
England won by 18 runs
England’s unbelievable, Ian Botham inspired, victory after following-on was one of the most exciting cricket matches ever. Against odds of 500/1, with Australia leading the series after two Tests, England were forced to follow-on 227 runs behind. England, reduced to 135 for 7 wickets, produced a second innings of 356, with Botham smashing an unbeaten 149. Chasing 130, Australia were dismissed for 111, with a devastating spell of 8–43 by Bob Willis giving England a miraculous victory.
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Something to chew over - and make all Englishmen feel a tad better after England's poor showing in the first Test in Brisbane, which ended in Australia winning by 277 runs. Ouch!
December 11-17 1903
Sydney, 1st Test
England won by five wickets
RE Foster made a world record score of 287 on his debut and helped England to 577 all out, then the highest total in Test cricket. In the process he became the first man to share three century partnerships in one innings, the last of which - the 10th wicket with Wilfred Rhodes - remains an English record to this day. _____________________________________________________________________________________
February 9-13 1912
Melbourne, 4th Test
England won by an innings and 225 runs
Having won the toss, England bowlers Sydney Barnes and Frank Foster tore into the Aussies, sharing nine wickets between them. England's opening batsmen, Jack Hobbs and Wilfred Rhodes, took the match beyond their hosts with a near faultless first-wicket partnership of 323 - then a world record. After posting a mammoth total of 589 it was a matter of if, rather than when, Australia would subside. England regained the Ashes with a highly convincing performance.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
January 13-19 1933
Adelaide, 3rd Test
England won by 338 runs
The third Test of the ‘Bodyline’ series saw Douglas Jardine’s England being branded as ‘a disgrace to cricket’ by Wisden. Quick bowler Harold Larwood injured Aussie captain Bill Woodfull (chest) and Bertie Oldfield (cracked skull), and with Australian morale at a low ebb, England took control.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
February 12- 17 1971
Sydney, 7th Test
England won by 62 runs
Having had the third match rained off the only seventh Test in Ashes history was played to decide the series. After a contentious bouncer by England quick bowler John Snow cut Terry Jenner’s head the game was nearly abandoned. Much to the disgust of Captain Ray Illingworth, Snow was warned by the umpire, only to be manhandled on the boundary by a disgruntled drunken spectator. With beer cans being thrown onto the ground, Illingworth marched his team from the field only to be warned by the umpires that victory would be forfeited to the hosts if England did not return. On the resumption, England set Australia a testing target and the match was delicately poised with Australia requiring 100 runs with five wickets remaining when Illingworth had Greg Chappell stumped. Australia's tail collapsed and Illingworth, having led his team off three days earlier, was chaired off in triumph having regained the Ashes.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
16-21 July 1981
Headingley, 3rd Test
England won by 18 runs
England’s unbelievable, Ian Botham inspired, victory after following-on was one of the most exciting cricket matches ever. Against odds of 500/1, with Australia leading the series after two Tests, England were forced to follow-on 227 runs behind. England, reduced to 135 for 7 wickets, produced a second innings of 356, with Botham smashing an unbeaten 149. Chasing 130, Australia were dismissed for 111, with a devastating spell of 8–43 by Bob Willis giving England a miraculous victory.
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