Australia vs England — The Ashes
Cricket's oldest rivalry, played for a tiny urn since 1882.
Head to head
Ashes Tests (approximate, through 2023)
142
AUSTRALIA
41%
95
DRAWN
28%
108
ENGLAND
31%
Australia lead the all-time count; England's 2005 and 2010-11 wins are modern classics.
Why it matters
Five Tests, two nations, 140 years. The Ashes is cricket's longest story — it outlives players, eras and even empires.
The storyline now
Australia have held the urn since 2017-18. England's aggressive 'Bazball' era has made every recent series box office.
Iconic clashes
1882
The Oval
England lost to Australia at home and a mock obituary declared the death of English cricket — the Ashes were born.
1932–33
Bodyline series
England's leg-theory fast bowling nearly caused a diplomatic incident — and changed the laws.
1981
Headingley, Botham's Ashes
England followed on, were 500-1 to lose — then Botham (149*) and Willis (8/43) produced the impossible.
2005
Edgbaston
Won by 2 runs — the greatest Ashes Test ever played, and the series England reclaimed 2-1.
2019
Headingley, Stokes
Ben Stokes' 135* — one wicket left, 73 needed — the greatest fourth-innings chase in Ashes history.
Related stories
Five-over report: spinners squeeze, required rate climbs
Overs 28–32 belonged to the slow bowlers — Pakistan's equation gets tighter.
Rizwan's calm masterclass keeps Pakistan alive in a tense chase
68 not out, zero panic — how the keeper-batter is steering a tricky 260 chase at home.