Best Ashes Bowlers of All Time: Most Wickets and Averages
Shane Warne is the leading wicket-taker in Ashes history, with 195 wickets in 36 Tests at 23.25. Glenn McGrath is second with 157 at 20.92 and Stuart Broad, England's best, is third with 153. Mitchell Starc moved into the top ten with 31 wickets in the 2025-26 series and now has 128, level with Ian Botham and Dennis Lillee. This page ranks the leading Ashes bowlers by wickets and by average, through the 2025-26 series, and explains what made the best of them.
Most Wickets in Ashes Tests
| Bowler | Span | Tests | Wickets | Average | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Warne (Aus) | 1993-2007 | 36 | 195 | 23.25 | 8/71 |
| Glenn McGrath (Aus) | 1994-2007 | 30 | 157 | 20.92 | 8/38 |
| Stuart Broad (Eng) | 2009-2023 | 40 | 153 | 28.96 | 8/15 |
| Hugh Trumble (Aus) | 1890-1904 | 31 | 141 | 20.88 | 8/65 |
| Ian Botham (Eng) | 1977-1989 | 32 | 128 | 28.04 | 6/95 |
| Dennis Lillee (Aus) | 1971-1982 | 24 | 128 | 22.32 | 7/89 |
| Mitchell Starc (Aus) | 2013-2026 | 27 | 128 | 25.57 | 7/58 |
| Bob Willis (Eng) | 1971-1983 | 31 | 123 | 24.37 | 8/43 |
| James Anderson (Eng) | 2006-2023 | 39 | 117 | 35.97 | 6/47 |
| Nathan Lyon (Aus) | 2013-2025 | 32 | 115 | 29.50 | 6/49 |
| Monty Noble (Aus) | 1898-1909 | 39 | 115 | 24.86 | 7/17 |
| Ray Lindwall (Aus) | 1946-1959 | 29 | 114 | 22.44 | 7/63 |
Ashes Tests only, through the 2025-26 series, from ESPNcricinfo's Ashes records.
The Best Ashes Bowling Averages
The lowest averages belong to the bowlers of the 1880s and 1890s, on uncovered pitches. With a minimum of 2,000 balls bowled:
| Bowler | Span | Wickets | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Lohmann (Eng) | 1886-1896 | 77 | 13.01 |
| Jack Ferris (Aus) | 1887-1890 | 48 | 14.25 |
| Billy Barnes (Eng) | 1882-1890 | 49 | 14.40 |
| Charlie Turner (Aus) | 1887-1895 | 101 | 16.53 |
| Bobby Peel (Eng) | 1884-1896 | 101 | 16.98 |
| Rodney Hogg (Aus) | 1978-1983 | 56 | 17.00 |
| Jim Laker (Eng) | 1948-1959 | 79 | 18.27 |
Among modern bowlers, McGrath's 20.92 from 157 wickets is the best average by anyone with more than 150 Ashes wickets.
The Best Ashes Bowlers
Shane Warne
Warne took eight wickets in his first Ashes Test, at Old Trafford in 1993, and 40 in the 2005 series in England, even though Australia lost it. He took 11 five-wicket innings and four ten-wicket matches against England, and his 195 wickets remain the Ashes record.
Glenn McGrath
McGrath's 8 for 38 at Lord's in 1997 is among the best figures in Ashes history, and he took 36 wickets in that series. He and Warne were at the heart of Australia's attack through their long hold on the Ashes until 2005.
Stuart Broad
Broad's 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge in 2015, when Australia were bowled out for 60, is the cheapest eight-wicket haul in Ashes history, and England's win in that Test sealed the series. He took 153 Ashes wickets, the most by an England bowler.
Ian Botham and Bob Willis
The 1981 series belonged to them. Botham took 34 wickets in that series, including five for 11 at Edgbaston, and Willis took 8 for 43 at Headingley to win the Test after England had followed on.
Dennis Lillee
Lillee took 128 Ashes wickets at 22.32, and 39 of them in the 1981 series, more than any Australian except Terry Alderman, who took 42.
Mitchell Starc
Starc was the outstanding bowler of 2025-26, with 31 wickets at 19.93, including 7 for 58 at Perth and ten wickets in that Test. That took him to 128 Ashes wickets and level with Botham and Lillee.
Jim Laker and Sydney Barnes
Laker's 46 wickets in 1956, at 9.60, is the Ashes series record, and his 19 for 90 at Old Trafford that summer is the best match return in Test cricket. Barnes took 12 five-wicket innings in only 20 Ashes Tests before the First World War, the most by anyone.
Ashes Bowling in 2025-26
Starc led the 2025-26 series with 31 wickets, ahead of England's Brydon Carse with 22 and Scott Boland with 20, as Australia won 4-1; cricket.com.au's report of the final Test at Sydney covers the end of the series. Our pages on the most wickets in a single Ashes series, the best bowling figures in an Ashes innings and the most Ashes five-wicket hauls go into more detail, and the best Ashes batters page covers the other side.
FAQs: The Best Ashes Bowlers
Who has taken the most wickets in the Ashes?
Shane Warne, with 195 wickets in 36 Tests from 1993 to 2007.
Who has taken the most Ashes wickets for England?
Stuart Broad, with 153 from 2009 to 2023.
Who took the most wickets in the 2025-26 Ashes?
Mitchell Starc, with 31 at 19.93.
What is the best bowling performance in Ashes history?
Jim Laker's 10 for 53 and 19 for 90 in the match at Old Trafford in 1956.
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