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History of Post-War Ashes Series
1948 Australia 4-0Don Bradman had already secured his place as the greatest batsman in history when, at the age of 40, he made his final tour. While the reflexes may have slowed slightly, the Don's hunger for runs was undiminished, as was his ruthless drive to bury the old enemy. At his disposal, Bradman had perhaps the finest side to take a cricket field. Ray Lindwall swung the ball late at high pace accompanied by the glamorous Keith Miller, a bowler of pace and hostility and a batsman of style and power. England had its own great players in Len Hutton, Denis Compton, Alec Bedser and Godfrey Evans but could not match the might of the Australians. 1953 England 1-0Coronation year and the Ashes returned to England for the first time in 20 years. Hutton, England's first professional captain, took his side to The Oval with the series level after four draws, one through fine defensive batting from Willie Watson and Trevor Bailey and another from less admirable defensive bowling from Bailey. A gripping final test featured Peter May and Freddie Trueman strengthening the home side with Compton, who had suffered with Hutton in the bleak post-war years, hitting the winning runs. 1956 England 2-1After a blitzing from Frank Tyson and Brian Statham in the 1954-55 series, Australia now succumbed to the off-spin of Jim Laker and the waspish left-arm spin of Tony Lock. Laker took 19 wickets at Manchester, a tally that may never be beaten, while Miller, on his last tour, recaptured past glories with a wonderful all-round performance in the Lord's test, Australia's only test victory of a dismal tour. 1961 Australia 2-1
Fresh from the glorious series against West Indies, Australia captain Richie Benaud promised equal entertainment on his final tour. The Australians did play positive cricket throughout and, although troubled by a shoulder injury, Benaud still won a test against the odds with his leg-spin bowling. The obdurate Bill Lawry was the batsman of the season, standing firm while all around him struggled as Australia extended its impressive record at Lord's. 1964 Australia 1-0England had high hopes of snatching the Ashes back but met its match in Australia's new captain, the shrewd Bobby Simpson. Peter Burge hooked Trueman to all parts of Headingley to set Australia up for a third test win and Simpson simply batted England out of the next match to ensure the Ashes would remain with Australia. Simpson stuck 311, his first test score in three figures, and although Trueman gained some compensation for the Headingley mauling with a record 300th test wicket at The Oval England could still not force a win. 1968 1-1England's expectations were again dashed after Bill Lawry's men won the first test and drew the next three. It did square the series at The Oval when the recalled Basil D'Oliveira hit a handsome 158. After England captain Colin Cowdrey had helped spectators mop up water on the outfield, Derek Underwood bowled his side to victory. 1972 2-2
Ray Illingworth's veterans just held off Ian Chappell's cavaliers, including Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell and Rodney Marsh, in a riveting contrast between the old and the new. Bob Massie swung the ball bewilderingly in yet another Lord's victory while Lillee was fast and furious throughout. England won the first test before Australia had fully warmed up and Underwood won another on a dubious pitch at Headingley which could have been specially designed for his brisk left-arm spin. 1975 Australia 1-0Chappell's team was at its peak in a four-test series after the first World Cup but encountered some spirited resistance from Tony Greig's team. David Steele, a white-haired 33-year-old, epitomized its new resolve by standing up to the thunderbolts of Lillee and Jeff Thomson with a succession of heroic innings. 1977 England 3-0Mike Brearley led a strong England side boasting Bob Willis at his fiery best and Geoff Boycott back in the test side after a three-year self-imposed exile. Boycott hit his 100th hundred on his return and Australia, without Lillee and distracted by internal divisions with the news that Australian media millionaire Kerry Packer was setting up a rival cricket circuit, were never in the hunt. 1981 England 3-1A summer of staggering contrasts during which Ian Botham resigned the England captaincy and was then transformed under his old mentor Brearley into an unparalleled match-winner. Botham smashed a century after England followed on in the third test at Headingley, then Willis bowled the greatest spell of his career to snatch an astonishing victory.
A spell of five for one by Botham at Birmingham snatched another test victory and a marvelous century at Old Trafford meant he had effectively won three tests in a row against the old enemy. 1985 England 3-1Botham, his hair now bleached blond, reinvented himself as a fast bowler and there was runs galore for captain David Gower, Graham Gooch and Tim Robinson. Captain Allan Border was the mainstay of an Australia side weakened by defections to a rebel tour of South Africa. 1989 Australia 4-0Border, toughened by the years of adversity, was determined to take no prisoners and he had surrounded himself with players with similar determination. Steve Waugh hit big centuries in the first two tests and Terry Alderman wobbled the ball around disconcertingly. England, over-confident at the start of the series, was in disarray at the end. 1993 Australia 4-1Shane Warne bowled maybe the delivery of the century with his very first ball in an Ashes test, a vicious leg-spinner which ripped across a startled Mike Gatting and took the off-stump. Australia, again under Border, was even more superior to the home side than in 1989 and the only ray of light for England was a victory at The Oval in the final test under new captain Mike Atherton. 1997 Australia 3-2England won the one-day series 3-0 and thrashed Australia in the first test with Nasser Hussain scoring 207. Thereafter it was all downhill. Glenn McGrath almost bowled Australia to victory at Lord's in a rain-shortened match and then it was three straight Australia victories, with a century in each innings to Waugh at Manchester. As in 1993, England won The Oval test for a slightly flattering series result.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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