Bat and ball / Andrew Hughes / 18 August 2009 /

1882 - The Beginning

The Australians played only one Test during their tour of 1882, at the Oval in late August. The wicket was green and the game a low scoring one. Skittled for 63 in their first innings, the tourists conceded a lead of 38 and were only able to set England a modest 85 to win. However, the hosts could not withstand the onslaught of 'The Demon Bowler' Fred Spofforth and lost wickets steadily. With eight runs needed for victory, last man Ted Peate was bowled and the Oval crowd were stunned. Four days later, the famous 'obituary' of English cricket was published in the Sporting Times and the story of the Ashes had begun.

1902 - The Golden Age

The 1902 Ashes series was one of the greatest of all time, featuring many of the stars of the Golden Age of Cricket such as C B Fry, Victor Trumper and Ranjitsinhi. Australia had already retained the Ashes before the teams arrived at the Oval and on a steadily deteriorating pitch they finally set England a target of 263. The home side were soon in trouble at 48-5. Then Gilbert Jessop played one of the great Test innings, hitting 104 in little over an hour and a quarter. The ninth wicket fell with fifteen still needed and the redoubtable all-rounder George Hirst was joined by his fellow Yorkshireman Wilfred Rhodes. "We'll get 'em in singles, Wilfred," Hirst is supposed to have said. They did just that, securing a nail-biting one-wicket win.

1934 - The Don

This was the first Ashes series following the 1932-33 'Bodyline' tour. England were expected to struggle in the absence of Harold Larwood, but they matched the powerful Aussies and reached the Oval with the Ashes still up for grabs. This was the final occasion on which a timeless Test was used to decide a series, but four days proved enough. Batting first, Australia posted an incredible 701 thanks to a second wicket partnership of 451 between Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford. In pursuit of a rather unlikely 707 to win, England crumbled and Australia regained the Ashes.

1953 - The Ashes Regained

Australia had retained the Ashes since 1934 and had been dominant in the immediate post-war era. However, England, led by Len Hutton, had discovered some fine players; men such as Trevor Bailey, Dennis Compton, Fred Trueman, Alec Bedser, Peter May and the spinners Tony Lock and Jim Laker. The Ashes decider at the Oval swung first this way, then that. England managed to secure a small first innings lead before Laker and Lock dismantled the Australian top order, leaving England just 132 to win. Compton hit the winning runs, the crowd ran onto the pitch and Brian Johnston excitedly announced that England had at long last regained the Ashes.

1968 - Underwood's Test

Australia had already won the Ashes, but the series was still at stake at the Oval. Batting first, England earned a big first innings lead and had reduced Australia to 86-5 at the fifth day lunch interval, only to see victory nearly snatched from their grasp by a freak thunderstorm that completely flooded the playing surface. However, a heroic mopping up effort by ground staff and spectators enabled play to begin again at 4:45 and amidst the sawdust, Derek Underwood wove his magic, grabbing four of the last five wickets and clinching an England win with six minutes to spare.

2005 - KP to the rescue

A nation had been enthralled by the way that England had stood up to the all-conquering Aussies and the home side held a deserved 2-1 lead going into the series finale. Now the pressure was on Michael Vaughan's men. At 126-5 in their second innings, England were wobbling, but Kevin Pietersen played an innings as daring and thrilling as that by Gilbert Jessop 103 years earlier. His 158, together with help from Ashley Giles and the weather was enough to regain the Ashes.

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