The History of The Ashes

The Ashes is the oldest Test Match series in cricket, played biannually between England and Australia. Here are some of the key events in the history of The Ashes:

1861-2 The first ever tour of Australia by England takes place. However, the first ever Test Match would not take place until 16 years later and The Ashes would not be played for another 20 years.

1868 An Aboriginal team are the first Australian side to tour England.

1877 The first ever Test Match takes place in Melbourne on March 15 1877. Australia beat England by 45 runs and Charles Bannerman scores the first test century, making 165 out of a total of 245. The Test Series ends in a one-all draw.

1880 The first test match played in England takes place at The Oval on September 6 1880. England beat Australia by 5 wickets, with W G Grace making 152 in the first innings and seeing England home in the second innings.

1882 At The Oval Australia win their first test match in England in dramatic circumstances by dismissing England in the final innings for 77 to win by 7 runs. An obituary for English cricket is published and the Ashes are born.

1882-3 England regain The Ashes when they beat Australia 2-1, in Australia. The Honourable Ivo Bligh is presented with The Ashes urn.

1884-5 In Australia, the first five test series is played and England take the honours 3-2.

1920-1 Australia record the only 5-0 whitewash in the history of The Ashes.

1924-5 A couple of firsts in the history of the Ashes series, as 8 ball overs are bowled for the first time and the first radio commentary of The Ashes is broadcast.

1928-9 The first ever test played at Brisbane in a series that sees England win 4-1. However, this series also sees the debut of Don Bradman, arguably the greatest batsman ever.

1930 Bradman starts what is to be a long run of success against England. He scores what is then a world record score of 334 at Headingley, and finishes the series with one triple century, two double centuries and a century in only 7 innings.

1932-3 The most famous and notorious series in Ashes history - The Bodyline tour. Bodyline was a strategy devised by the England captain Douglas Jardine to dismiss Australia and Bradman, in particular, by bowling on the leg side of the wicket and placing most of the fielders on that side, as he believed that they were weak at pulling and hooking the ball.

England wins the series 4-1. However, the series sparks a diplomatic incident between the two countries, and results in a change in the rules of cricket that only allows 2 players to field behind square leg in order to stop the tactic being employed again. It also signals the end of Douglas Jardine and Harold Larwood's international careers.

1938 Don Bradman beats Hobb's Ashes record of 12 centuries. In the final test Len Hutton breaks Bradman's record for highest individual test score, making 364 out of England's highest ever total of 903 for 7 declared. The series ends in a 1-1 draw.

1948 Bradman's final tour and Australia remain unbeaten throughout the summer. In the fourth test, Australia chase a remarkable target of 404 on the last day to win. Bradman fails in his last ever innings in the final test, getting a 2 ball duck which leaves him with a test career average of 99.94 runs - no other batsman before or since has matched him.

1953 England regain The Ashes after a closely fought series goes down to the wire as England win the final Test at The Oval to win 1-0.

1956 Jim Laker recordsthe best ever bowling figures in Test History, with 9 for 37 in the first innings and 10 for 53 in the second innings at Old Trafford. His analysis of 19 for 90 is still a record today and England go on to win the series 2-1.

1958-9 Australia regain The Ashes with a comprehensive 4-0 victory.

1970-1 England regain The Ashes after a twelve year period in the only seven-Test Match series in the history of the game.

1972 The series ends in a 2-2 draw but Greg and Ian Chappell make history as the first brothers to score Test centuries together.

1976-7 A one-off test is played to commemorate the centenary of the first Ashes test played at the same ground in Melbourne. The result is also exactly the same as the first test match with Australia winning by a 45 run margin despite a heroic 174 from Derek Randall.

1977 England win comfortably with a 3-0 win, and the series sees the introduction of Ian Terrance Botham. Geoff Boycott scores his 100^th first-class century at his home ground during the Headingley Test.

1978-9 England's largest Test series win of 5-1 against Australia is in large part due to the fact that most of the Australian side are unavailable as they are taking part in a breakaway series for Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, which was to dramatically change the profile and the running of the game

1980 A one-off Test held at Lord's to commemorate the first Test Match played in England. The match, however, is a draw as the weather ruins two days of the match.

1981 Botham's Ashes. It does not start well for Ian Botham, as he resigns the captaincy after the second test with England one down in the series. However, the next 3 test matches are about to turn cricket on its head. At Headingley, Botham steers England from 135 for 7 and close to an innings defeat to a lead of 129, with a remarkable innings of 149 not out. On the final day, Australia collapse to 111 all out as Bob Willis took 8 for 43.

At Edgbaston, Australia collapse again when only needing 151 to win. Ian Botham takes 5 wickets for 1 run in 28 balls for England to win by 29 runs.

At Old Trafford, Botham stars again in a batting display of tremendous power as he scores 118 from 102 balls to help England to victory and after a draw in the final test, England win the series 3-1.

1989 The start of a remarkable run of dominance by Australia over England and the rest of the world as Australia crush England 4-0. England become a shambles as they use 29 players during the 6-Test Match series.

1993 Shane Warne bowls what is now know as the "ball of the century" with his first ever delivery in The Ashes. It is an unplayable leg break, which bowls Mike Gatting and starts the mesmeric spell he has over English batsmen. Australia go on to win the series 4-1.

1998-9 England's run of defeats continue as The Ashes are lost before Christmas. A crystal replica of The Ashes urn is presented for the first time.

2005 The Greatest Series Ever in the history of the Ashes! England regain The Ashes after 16 years in one of the most closely fought and nail biting series ever. Australia comfortably win the first test at Lord's and the signs looked ominous.

At Edgbaston in the second test, England look like they are going to win comfortably with Australia needing over 100 runs to win with only 2 wickets left. However, Australia inch their way to the total when only needing 3 to win, Michael Kasprowicz gloves a ball from Steve Harmison to be caught by Geraint Jones, sparking wild celebrations in the England camp

At Old Trafford the final Australian pair hold off for 24 deliveries to draw a match which seemingly England would win.

At Trent Bridge, England are in command with a small total to chase until Shane Warne and Brett Lee shred English nerves taking seven wickets before Matthew Hoggard and Ashley Giles see England to victory.

England only need to draw at The Oval to regain The Ashes. The first couple of days are affected by weather, and England start their second innings on the final day at 34 for 1 needing only to bat out the final day. At 126 for 5 it looks as if Australia may win the match. The final defining moment is when Kevin Pietersen is dropped on 15 by Shane Warne, as Pietersen goes on to score 158 including seven sixes (an Ashes record) to see England home and take the series 2-1.

For the latest odds on the The Ashes from a range of bookmakers and betting exchanges, visit our Latest Odds section.

The Ashes is only one of many events in the cricketing calendar. Check out other cricket events!

If you are new to betting and want to place a bet on The Ashes be sure to check out our Cricket - How To Bet section for some betting hints and tips.