Test · Test series

The Ashes

England v Australia: the oldest rivalry in Test cricket.

First held 1882
74 series
Reigning: Australia
Roughly every two years, alternating between England and Australia

Overview

The Ashes is a Test cricket series contested between England and Australia, dating back to the 1882-83 series. Australia are the current holders after beating England 4-1 in the 2025-26 series in Australia.

The Ashes grew out of a single Test at The Oval in 1882, where Australia won on English soil for the first time. The Sporting Times then published a mock obituary declaring English cricket dead and stating that the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. Ivo Bligh, captain of the English party that toured Australia the following winter, promised to bring the Ashes home, and after England won the 1882-83 series a small urn was presented to him.

England won the first eight series between the two sides, and Australia won an Ashes series for the first time in 1891-92. The 1932-33 tour became known as the Bodyline series, and England's tactics prompted changes to the laws of cricket. Both sides have held the Ashes for a record eight consecutive series: England from 1882-83 to 1890 and Australia from 1989 to 2002-03. Australia have won 5-0 on three occasions (1920-21, 2006-07 and 2013-14), and no side other than Australia has achieved that scoreline.

Series have been five Tests long since 1998-99. Australia have either won or drawn every series since 2017-18, retaining the urn after the 2019 and 2023 draws, and won the 2025-26 series 4-1. The next series, the 2027 Ashes in England, is scheduled for June to August 2027.

How it works

The Ashes is normally a five-match Test series, hosted by England and Australia in turn about every two years. The team that wins the series holds the Ashes. If a series is drawn, the team that already holds the Ashes retains them.

Who has won it most?

Series won by each team across all 74 series. 7 series ended in a draw.

Australia 35 series

2025-26, 2021-22, 2017-18, 2013-14, 2006-07, 2002-03, 2001, 1998-99, 1997, 1994-95, 1993, 1990-91, 1989, 1982-83, 1975, 1974-75, 1964, 1961, 1958-59, 1950-51, 1948, 1946-47, 1936-37, 1934, 1930, 1924-25, 1921, 1920-21, 1909, 1907-08, 1902, 1901-02, 1899, 1897-98, 1891-92
England 32 series

2015, 2013, 2010-11, 2009, 2005, 1986-87, 1985, 1981, 1978-79, 1977, 1970-71, 1956, 1954-55, 1953, 1932-33, 1928-29, 1926, 1912, 1911-12, 1905, 1903-04, 1896, 1894-95, 1893, 1890, 1888, 1887-88, 1886-87, 1886, 1884-85, 1884, 1882-83

Winners by year

Newest first.

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Host	Result
2025-26	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandPlayer of the tournament: Mitchell Starc (Compton–Miller Medal)First Test began 21 November 2025.
2023	Drawn - Australia retain the Ashes	-	England	Drawn 2-2 (Australia retained the Ashes)Player of the tournament: Chris Woakes (Compton–Miller Medal; Mitchell Starc also named player of the series for Australia)First Test began 16 June 2023.
2021-22	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-0 EnglandPlayer of the tournament: Travis Head (Compton–Miller Medal)First Test began 8 December 2021.
2019	Drawn - Australia retain the Ashes	-	England	Drawn 2-2 (Australia retained the Ashes)Player of the tournament: Steve Smith (Compton–Miller Medal; joint players of the series with Ben Stokes)First Test began 1 August 2019.
2017-18	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-0 EnglandPlayer of the tournament: Steve Smith (Compton–Miller Medal)First Test began 23 November 2017.
2015	England	Australia	England	England 3-2 AustraliaPlayer of the tournament: Joe Root (Compton–Miller Medal; joint players of the series with Chris Rogers)First Test began 8 July 2015.
2013-14	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 5-0 EnglandPlayer of the tournament: Mitchell Johnson (Compton–Miller Medal)First Test began 21 November 2013.
2013	England	Australia	England	England 3-0 AustraliaPlayer of the tournament: Ian Bell (Compton–Miller Medal; joint players of the series with Ryan Harris)First Test began 10 July 2013.
2010-11	England	Australia	Australia	England 3-1 AustraliaPlayer of the tournament: Alastair Cook (Compton–Miller Medal)First Test began 25 November 2010.
2009	England	Australia	England	England 2-1 AustraliaPlayer of the tournament: Andrew Strauss (Compton–Miller Medal; joint players of the series with Michael Clarke)First Test began 8 July 2009.
2006-07	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 5-0 EnglandPlayer of the tournament: Ricky Ponting (Compton–Miller Medal)First Test began 23 November 2006.
2005	England	Australia	England	England 2-1 AustraliaPlayer of the tournament: Andrew Flintoff (Compton–Miller Medal; joint players of the series with Shane Warne)First Test began 21 July 2005.
2002-03	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 7 November 2002.
2001	Australia	England	England	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 5 July 2001.
1998-99	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 3-1 EnglandFirst Test began 20 November 1998.
1997	Australia	England	England	Australia 3-2 EnglandFirst Test began 5 June 1997.
1994-95	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 3-1 EnglandFirst Test began 25 November 1994.
1993	Australia	England	England	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 3 June 1993.
1990-91	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 3-0 EnglandFirst Test began 23 November 1990.
1989	Australia	England	England	Australia 4-0 EnglandFirst Test began 8 June 1989.
1986-87	England	Australia	Australia	England 2-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 14 November 1986.
1985	England	Australia	England	England 3-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 13 June 1985.
1982-83	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 12 November 1982.
1981	England	Australia	England	England 3-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 18 June 1981.
1978-79	England	Australia	Australia	England 5-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 1 December 1978.
1977	England	Australia	England	England 3-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 16 June 1977.
1975	Australia	England	England	Australia 1-0 EnglandFirst Test began 10 July 1975.
1974-75	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 29 November 1974.
1972	Drawn - England retain the Ashes	-	England	Drawn 2-2 (England retained the Ashes)First Test began 8 June 1972.
1970-71	England	Australia	Australia	England 2-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 27 November 1970. Tests played: 6 (7).
1968	Drawn - Australia retain the Ashes	-	England	Drawn 1-1 (Australia retained the Ashes)First Test began 6 June 1968.
1965-66	Drawn - Australia retain the Ashes	-	Australia	Drawn 1-1 (Australia retained the Ashes)First Test began 10 December 1965.
1964	Australia	England	England	Australia 1-0 EnglandFirst Test began 4 June 1964.
1962-63	Drawn - Australia retain the Ashes	-	Australia	Drawn 1-1 (Australia retained the Ashes)First Test began 30 November 1962.
1961	Australia	England	England	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 8 June 1961.
1958-59	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-0 EnglandFirst Test began 5 December 1958.
1956	England	Australia	England	England 2-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 7 June 1956.
1954-55	England	Australia	Australia	England 3-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 26 November 1954.
1953	England	Australia	England	England 1-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 11 June 1953.
1950-51	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 1 December 1950.
1948	Australia	England	England	Australia 4-0 EnglandFirst Test began 10 June 1948.
1946-47	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 3-0 EnglandFirst Test began 29 November 1946.
1938	Drawn - Australia retain the Ashes	-	England	Drawn 1-1 (Australia retained the Ashes)First Test began 10 June 1938. Tests played: 4 (5).
1936-37	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 3-2 EnglandFirst Test began 4 December 1936.
1934	Australia	England	England	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 8 June 1934.
1932-33	England	Australia	Australia	England 4-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 2 December 1932.
1930	Australia	England	England	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 13 June 1930.
1928-29	England	Australia	Australia	England 4-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 30 November 1928.
1926	England	Australia	England	England 1-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 12 June 1926.
1924-25	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 19 December 1924.
1921	Australia	England	England	Australia 3-0 EnglandFirst Test began 28 May 1921.
1920-21	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 5-0 EnglandFirst Test began 17 December 1920.
1912	England	Australia	England	England 1-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 27 May 1912.
1911-12	England	Australia	Australia	England 4-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 15 December 1911.
1909	Australia	England	England	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 27 May 1909.
1907-08	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 13 December 1907.
1905	England	Australia	England	England 2-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 29 May 1905.
1903-04	England	Australia	Australia	England 3-2 AustraliaFirst Test began 11 December 1903.
1902	Australia	England	England	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 29 May 1902.
1901-02	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 13 December 1901.
1899	Australia	England	England	Australia 1-0 EnglandFirst Test began 1 June 1899.
1897-98	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 4-1 EnglandFirst Test began 13 December 1897.
1896	England	Australia	England	England 2-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 22 June 1896.
1894-95	England	Australia	Australia	England 3-2 AustraliaFirst Test began 14 December 1894.
1893	England	Australia	England	England 1-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 17 July 1893.
1891-92	Australia	England	Australia	Australia 2-1 EnglandFirst Test began 1 January 1892.
1890	England	Australia	England	England 2-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 21 July 1890. Tests played: 2 (3).
1888	England	Australia	England	England 2-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 16 July 1888.
1887-88	England	Australia	Australia	England 1-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 10 February 1888.
1886-87	England	Australia	Australia	England 2-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 28 January 1887.
1886	England	Australia	England	England 3-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 5 July 1886.
1884-85	England	Australia	Australia	England 3-2 AustraliaFirst Test began 12 December 1884.
1884	England	Australia	England	England 1-0 AustraliaFirst Test began 11 July 1884.
1882-83	England	Australia	Australia	England 2-1 AustraliaFirst Test began 30 December 1882. Ivo Bligh's England team toured Australia and the Ashes urn was presented to Bligh after the series.

Records & facts

Series won: Australia 35, England 32, drawn 7 (74 series, as of the 2025-26 series)
Ashes Tests: 350 played: Australia 146 wins, England 111 wins, 93 draws (to 8 January 2026)
Most Ashes runs: Donald Bradman (Australia), 5,028
Most Ashes wickets: Shane Warne (Australia), 195
5-0 whitewashes: Australia only: 1920-21, 2006-07 and 2013-14
England's biggest series win: 5-1 in 1978-79 (England's largest unbeaten margin was 3-0 in 1886, 1977 and 2013)
Longest streak holding the Ashes: 8 consecutive series each: England 1882-83 to 1890; Australia 1989 to 2002-03
Drawn series: Seven: Australia retained the Ashes in 1938, 1962-63, 1965-66, 1968, 2019 and 2023; England retained in 1972
Series won in Australia: Australia 21, England 14, drawn 2 (37 series)
Series won in England: England 18, Australia 14, drawn 5 (37 series)
Current holders: Australia (series won 2025-26)

At a glance

Reigning: Australia (2025-26)
Most series: Australia (35)
Organiser: Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board (hosting alternately)
Trophy: The Ashes urn (original kept at the MCC Museum, Lord's) and, since 1998-99, the Waterford Crystal Ashes Trophy; Compton–Miller Medal for player of the series
Latest host: Australia (2025-26)
Teams (latest): 2

Next edition: 2027 Ashes series (Rothesay Men's Ashes)

18 June - 2 August 2027

England

Five Tests scheduled at Trent Bridge, Lord's, Edgbaston, the Rose Bowl and The Oval; venues and dates confirmed by the ECB on 23 July 2026. Australia hold the Ashes going into the series.