The 20 Greatest Ashes Tests Ever Played

The Ashes rivalry is measured in series results, but it lives on in memories of individual Test matches. Every so often, a single game becomes so dramatic, so extraordinary, that it enters cricketing folklore. These are the contests where reputations are forged, where heroes are remembered for generations, and where the sport itself seems to shift under the weight of the moment.

Sometimes it is a miracle innings, sometimes a deadly spell of bowling, and sometimes sheer drama across five days that keeps the result balanced on a knife-edge. From the first shock in 1882 to the thrillers of the modern era, these matches show why the Ashes remains the ultimate stage for Test cricket.

Here are the 20 greatest Ashes Tests of all time.

1. 1882, The Oval – The Match That Created the Ashes

Every great rivalry needs a beginning, and the Ashes began in chaos and disbelief at The Oval in 1882. Until that day, England considered itself unbeatable at home. Yet Australia, led by their fiery fast bowler Fred Spofforth, produced a result that stunned the sporting world.

Australia set England just 85 to win in the final innings, a target that looked simple. But Spofforth bowled with venom, taking seven wickets for 44 runs. England collapsed to 77 all out. The shock was so great that The Sporting Times ran a mock obituary:

“In affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at the Oval on 29 August 1882. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

That piece of satire created the legend. The following winter, England captain Ivo Bligh travelled to Australia vowing to “recover the Ashes.” A rivalry was born, and it has defined cricket ever since.

2. 1902, The Oval – Jessop’s Blazing Century

By 1902, the Ashes were already established as the pinnacle of cricket. The Oval hosted one of the most thrilling finales in history. Australia had set England a daunting 263 to win. On a pitch offering help to the bowlers, the task seemed impossible.

Enter Gilbert Jessop, nicknamed the “Croucher” for his unusual stance. He blasted 104 runs in just 75 minutes, hitting boundaries with fearless abandon. His innings electrified the crowd and shifted the momentum entirely. With support from George Hirst and Wilfred Rhodes, England edged closer.

The finish was tense. England lost wickets steadily but scraped across the line by just one wicket. Jessop’s innings remains one of the fastest and most influential ever played in the Ashes. More than a century later, his name is still invoked whenever England needs quick, daring runs to change a game.

3. 1932–33, Adelaide – The Bodyline Test

The 1932–33 series in Australia is remembered above all for one word: Bodyline. England, determined to blunt the genius of Don Bradman, deployed a tactic devised by captain Douglas Jardine and carried out by fast bowler Harold Larwood. Short-pitched deliveries were bowled at the batsman’s body with a cordon of leg-side fielders waiting for catches.

In Adelaide, the plan was unleashed in full. The atmosphere was electric, but also hostile. Australian batsmen were struck repeatedly, crowds jeered, and newspapers condemned the tactic as unsporting. Yet it worked: Bradman was restricted, and England won the Test by 338 runs.

The match triggered diplomatic protests, with the Australian Board formally complaining to the MCC. The controversy nearly ruptured relations between the two countries. Bodyline remains one of the most infamous strategies in sporting history, and Adelaide 1933 is the Test where it burned brightest.

4. 1948, Headingley – Bradman’s Invincibles Chase 404

In 1948, Australia toured England under the leadership of Don Bradman in his final series. Known as the “Invincibles,” they went undefeated across the entire summer. Their crowning achievement came at Headingley.

England, batting first, posted 496. Australia responded with 458, keeping the match tight. In the second innings, England declared on 365 for 8, setting Australia an improbable 404 to win — at that time the highest target ever set in England.

Bradman and Arthur Morris produced one of cricket’s great partnerships. Morris scored 182, Bradman 173 not out, and Australia romped home with seven wickets to spare. The run chase was not just successful; it was authoritative, a declaration of Australian supremacy.

The Invincibles left England unbeaten, and Headingley 1948 was the jewel in their crown. It remains one of the greatest run chases in Test history.

5. 1953, The Oval – England Regain the Ashes

For 19 years, England had failed to win back the Ashes. From 1934 through to 1953, Australia’s grip on the urn was unbroken. At The Oval that summer, under the leadership of Len Hutton, England finally broke the drought.

The match was tense and attritional. Denis Compton and Trevor Bailey built England’s innings, while spinners Jim Laker and Tony Lock ground Australia down with relentless accuracy. In front of a packed crowd, England bowled Australia out and secured a 1–0 series win.

The celebrations were euphoric. For England, regaining the Ashes was more than a sporting achievement — it was national redemption. After the struggles of the war and years of Australian dominance, English cricket could once again claim parity.

6. 1961, Old Trafford – Benaud’s Spin Seals It

Australia arrived at Old Trafford in 1961 with the series level at 1–1. England, chasing 256 in the final innings, looked on track at 150 for 2. The momentum was with them.

But Richie Benaud, Australia’s astute captain and brilliant leg-spinner, made a daring move. He began bowling into the rough patches outside the batsmen’s leg stump, turning the ball sharply across them. The change of line disrupted England completely.

Benaud finished with 6 for 70. England collapsed, and Australia won by 54 runs to take the series. It was a triumph of tactical intelligence as much as skill. Benaud’s performance not only sealed the Ashes but also cemented his reputation as one of cricket’s great leaders.

7. 1972, Headingley – Botham’s Early Brilliance

The 1972 Ashes are remembered as hard-fought, with both sides battling for supremacy. At Headingley, a 16-year-old Ian Botham — still years away from his peak — showed flashes of the brilliance that would later define his career.

England fought for a draw in difficult conditions, but Botham’s contributions with both bat and ball stood out. His aggressive batting and ability to break partnerships signalled the arrival of a player destined to dominate the rivalry in years to come.

Though the match ended level, it is remembered as a glimpse of what was to come — the first act in the Botham story that would explode into legend in 1981.

8. 1981, Headingley – Botham’s Miracle Innings

If one Test defines the Ashes, it is Headingley 1981. England, following on, looked beaten. Odds of 500–1 were offered against them. Then Ian Botham produced one of the greatest innings in cricket history.

Smashing 149 not out, Botham counter-attacked fearlessly. He turned certain defeat into improbable hope. The next day, Bob Willis roared in with 8 for 43, bowling Australia out for 111.

England won by 18 runs. From the ashes of defeat came triumph. It was a miracle, and it transformed Botham into a national hero. Headingley 1981 remains perhaps the most famous Ashes Test ever played.

9. 1981, Edgbaston – Another Botham Special

Lightning struck twice in the same summer. At Edgbaston, in a low-scoring thriller, Australia needed just 151 to win. Botham, with the ball in hand, destroyed them. He took 5 wickets for 11 runs in 28 balls.

England won by 29 runs, and the crowd erupted. Within weeks, Botham had produced back-to-back miracles. The Ashes had turned from Australian control to English celebration, and Botham’s legend was cemented beyond doubt.

10. 1981, Old Trafford – Botham Again

As if two heroics were not enough, Botham struck once more at Old Trafford. With the bat, he hammered 118 from 102 balls, taking the attack to Lillee and Alderman. His innings were fearless, brutal, and decisive.

England went on to win by 103 runs, securing the series. In one summer, Botham had single-handedly altered Ashes history. Old Trafford 1981 was the exclamation point in the greatest individual run of performances ever seen in Test cricket.

11. 1993, Old Trafford – Warne’s Ball of the Century

On 4 June 1993, Shane Warne bowled his first ball in Ashes cricket. To Mike Gatting, he delivered what became known as the “Ball of the Century.” Pitched far outside the leg stump, it ripped back viciously to clip the off bail.

Gatting was stunned. So was the world. The delivery announced Warne as a superstar and redefined the role of the leg-spinner in modern cricket.

Australia won the Test comfortably, but the moment transcended the match. Warne’s ball became a symbol of genius, artistry, and the unpredictable drama of the Ashes.

12. 1997, Edgbaston – England Start Strong

After years of Australian dominance, England struck first in the 1997 series at Edgbaston. Graeme Thorpe’s fluent 138 and Mark Butcher’s 108 gave England a commanding lead. Darren Gough and Andy Caddick bowled with aggression to seal victory by nine wickets.

The win lifted English hopes that the tide might be turning. Though Australia ultimately came back to win the series 3–2, the Edgbaston Test was a reminder that England still had fight. It showed how quickly momentum could shift in an Ashes summer.

13. 2001, Headingley – Butcher’s Masterclass

Against one of the greatest Australian sides ever, England produced a stunning victory at Headingley. Set 315 to win, Mark Butcher played the innings of his life.

His unbeaten 173, full of fluent drives and brave strokeplay, guided England to a six-wicket win. Against Warne, McGrath, and Gillespie, it was a remarkable act of defiance.

England lost the series, but Butcher’s innings remains celebrated as one of the finest in Ashes history — proof that even in defeat, individuals can carve out immortality.

14. 2005, Edgbaston – The 2-Run Thriller

The 2005 Ashes is remembered as the greatest series of the modern era, and Edgbaston was its jewel. England set Australia 282 to win. On the final morning, Australia’s last pair, Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz, edged closer and closer.

With just three runs needed, Kasprowicz gloved Steve Harmison to Geraint Jones. England won by two runs — the narrowest margin in Ashes history. The image of Andrew Flintoff consoling Brett Lee became an enduring symbol of sporting respect.

Edgbaston 2005 was pure drama, and it reignited global love for Test cricket.

15. 2005, Trent Bridge – England Hold Nerve

With the series level, Trent Bridge became decisive. Simon Jones bowled brilliantly with reverse swing, while Ashley Giles contributed crucial runs.

England won by three wickets, moving ahead in the series. The victory gave them the platform to seal the Ashes at The Oval. It was tense, thrilling, and showed England’s new steel under Michael Vaughan’s captaincy.

16. 2005, The Oval – England Win the Ashes

After 18 years, England finally reclaimed the Ashes urn. Kevin Pietersen’s fearless 158 blunted Australia’s attack, while Giles and Hoggard defended stoutly.

The draw was enough: England won the series 2–1. The Oval erupted in celebration, Trafalgar Square hosted a victory parade, and English cricket basked in glory.

The 2005 Ashes finale was more than a cricket match — it was a national moment.

17. 2010–11, Melbourne – England Crush Australia

On Boxing Day 2010, a record MCG crowd watched as Australia were bowled out for just 98. James Anderson and Chris Tremlett tore through them.

Jonathan Trott’s unbeaten 168 piled on the pain. England won by an innings and 157 runs, securing the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 1986–87. It was a display of dominance on the grandest stage, and English fans celebrated deep into the night.

18. 2013, Trent Bridge – Agar’s Stunning Debut

The first Test of the 2013 series produced one of the unlikeliest stories. Ashton Agar, a 19-year-old debutant batting at number 11, scored 98 runs. His carefree strokeplay nearly gave Australia a shock win.

Though England held on, Agar’s innings captivated audiences. For a teenager on debut to nearly make a century from the tail remains one of the Ashes’ great surprises.

19. 2019, Headingley – Stokes’s Miracle

If Botham owned Headingley in 1981, Ben Stokes claimed it in 2019. Chasing 359, England collapsed to 286 for 9. With only Jack Leach for company, Stokes played an innings of extraordinary courage.

He smashed 135 not out, farming the strike, hitting boundaries, and refusing to yield. England won by one wicket, sparking scenes of euphoria.

Stokes’s miracle innings is already spoken of alongside Botham’s — a reminder that Headingley is a ground where Ashes history is made.

20. 2023, Edgbaston – A Modern Thriller

The first Test of the 2023 series embodied modern Ashes drama. England, under Ben Stokes’s aggressive “Bazball” philosophy, set Australia 281 to win. Pat Cummins, batting with Nathan Lyon, guided Australia home by two wickets.

The match swung repeatedly, and the tension never eased. It set the tone for a series that ended 2–2, with Australia retaining the urn. Edgbaston 2023 proved that even in an age of short formats, Test cricket can still grip the world.

Conclusion: Why These Matches Define the Ashes

The Ashes have produced many memorable series, but it is these individual Tests that define the rivalry. From Spofforth’s demon bowling in 1882 to Stokes’s miracle in 2019, each game shows why cricket’s oldest contest remains its greatest.

These 20 Tests are not just matches; they are stories of courage, controversy, genius, and drama. They explain why the Ashes, generation after generation, captures the imagination and endures as the ultimate stage for Test cricket.