The Ashes is a Test cricket series between England and Australia. It began in 1882 and is played every two years, switching between England and Australia. Since 1998, every Ashes series has had five Test matches. Australia currently holds the Ashes after keeping them with a draw in 2023.
Australia has won 140 of the 340 Ashes Tests. England has won 108. Australia has also won more Ashes series, with 34 wins compared to England’s 32. Seven series have been drawn. Australia has kept the Ashes after a drawn series six times, while England has done so once.
Only Australia has won every Test in an Ashes series, doing it 5–0 in 1920–21, 2006–07, and 2013–14. England’s biggest series win was 5–1 in 1978–79. England’s largest unbeaten winning margin of 3–0 happened in 1886, 1977, and 2013.
Both teams have held the Ashes for eight straight series. England did this from 1882–83 to 1890. Australia did it from 1989 to 2002–03.
Jim Laker produced the most remarkable bowling performance ever seen in an Australia–England Test during the 1956 Ashes at Old Trafford. In that match, he took 9 for 37 in the first innings and then followed it with 10 for 53 in the second, giving him an unmatched 19 wickets for just 90 runs in the game.
A detailed look at bowlers with the Most Wickets in the Ashes
Shane Warne holds the record of the bowlers with the most wickets in Ashes history with 195. He dominated England across 36 Tests, taking 11 five-wicket hauls and producing the famous 1993 “Ball of the Century” to Mike Gatting. His peak Ashes year was 2005, when he claimed 40 wickets, and he finished his Ashes career after Australia’s 5-0 win in 2006-07.
Glenn McGrath follows with 157 wickets from 30 Ashes Tests. He was Warne’s longtime partner and produced the best figures of 8-38. He retired after the 2006-07 series and remains one of the highest wicket-takers in Test cricket.
Stuart Broad sits close behind with 153 wickets. He ended his career after the 2023 Ashes, finishing with 22 wickets in his final series. His duels with David Warner became a key part of recent Ashes history.
Hugh Trumble took 141 wickets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He delivered almost 8,000 balls against England and once took 12-89 in a single Test.
Dennis Lillee claimed 128 wickets throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. He took 6-26 and 5-139 in the 1977 Centenary Test, which was his most notable Ashes performance.
Ian Botham finished with 128 wickets in 58 innings. He bowled 232 maidens and finished with an economy rate of 2.97.
Bob Willis took 123 wickets and is remembered for his 8-43 at Headingley in 1981, one of the most famous spells in Ashes history.
James Anderson has 117 Ashes wickets. He is England’s leading Test wicket-taker and one of the greatest seamers the game has seen.
Monty Noble collected 115 wickets between 1898 and 1909 and produced a remarkable 13-77 in Melbourne in 1902.
Ray Lindwall completes the top ten with 114 wickets. He bowled after World War II, went for fewer runs than anyone else on this list, and led Australia’s attack through the late 1940s and 1950s.
| Player | Span | Inns | Wkts | 5 |
| SK Warne (AUS) | 1993-2007 | 72 | 195 | 11 |
| GD McGrath (AUS) | 1994-2007 | 60 | 157 | 10 |
| SCJ Broad (ENG) | 2009-2023 | 74 | 153 | 8 |
| H Trumble (AUS) | 1890-1904 | 55 | 141 | 9 |
| DK Lillee (AUS) | 1971-1982 | 47 | 128 | 7 |
| IT Botham (ENG) | 1977-1989 | 58 | 128 | 7 |
| RGD Willis (ENG) | 1971-1983 | 61 | 123 | 7 |
| JM Anderson (ENG) | 2006-2023 | 72 | 117 | 5 |
| MA Noble (AUS) | 1898-1909 | 66 | 115 | 9 |
| RR Lindwall (AUS) | 1946-1959 | 51 | 114 | 6 |
FAQs
Q. Which bowler has the most wickets in the Ashes?
A. Shane Warne holds the record with 195 wickets in Ashes history.
Q. Who took 7 wickets in one match recently?
A. Mitchell Starc took 7 wickets in a Test match for the first time in his career.
Q. When and where will the next Ashes be played?
A. The 2025–26 Ashes will begin at Perth Stadium from 21 to 25 November 2025.
Q. Who has won the most Ashes series?
A. Australia has won the most Ashes series with 34 series wins compared to England’s 32 series wins.
Q. Are the Ashes held every 2 years?
A. Yes. The Ashes is played every two years, alternating between England and Australia.
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