The 2023 Ashes is the latest instalment in the memorable tussle between the old rivals and perhaps one of the most unpredictable in recent times.
The tourists arrive as World Test Championship finalists and in possession of the urn following the thumping 4-0 success Down Under in 2021-22.
England look refreshingly free from the scars of that trip, having made a clean break under the progressive leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. With 11 wins from their last 13 Tests, there will be no sense of inferiority in the home dressing room.
Here, PA news agency looks at three of the best Ashes series on English soil that stand as the bar to clear.
The Invincibles
1948: England 0 Australia 4
It may not have been a close contest, but it does go down as a high watermark due to the irrepressible performance of an Australia side captained by the great Donald Bradman. ‘The Don’ led an unprecedented unbeaten tour, comprising 31 first-class matches as they travelled up and down the country taking on allcomers. They won four of the five Test matches by heavy margins but narrowly missed out on a whitewash as England fought out a draw at Old Trafford. The series cemented their status as one of the greatest ever teams.
The rollercoaster of ‘Botham’s Ashes’
1981: England 3 Australia 1
Chaos theory writ large, as England and their mercurial leading man went from the depths of despair to the toast of the nation in a few short weeks. As skipper Botham arrived at the first Test under pressure, lost it by four wickets and was then dismissed for a pair of ducks in a drawn second Test. A bitter resignation followed, but an SOS for the veteran strategist Mike Brearley proved the pitch perfect decision. Freed from the shackles of captaincy, Botham produced his masterpiece in Leeds as his bloody-minded 149 not out following on dragged England back from odds of 500/1. Bob Willis steamed in to deliver victory with the ball but Botham hogged the narrative with a sequence of five for one to settle the Edgbaston Test, another century in a winning cause at Old Trafford and a 10-wicket match at The Oval.
Vaughan’s men end the drought
2005: England 2 Australia 1
After many false dawns and eight consecutive series defeats, England finally reclaimed the urn for the first time since 1987. Victory was made sweeter because of the calibre of the opposition, an all-conquering Australia studded with star names from one to 11. The likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath were in harness, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist were in their prime years but England thrilled the nation by coming out on top. Despite a stinging defeat first up at Lord’s, the hosts would not be tamed. Andrew Flintoff levelled up to go from all-rounder to action hero, newcomer Kevin Pietersen arrived as a fully-formed world beater and a perfectly balanced pace attack hunted like a perfect pack. Add in McGrath tripping on a ball and a nailbiting two-run win at Edgbaston and the so-called ‘greatest series’ was born.
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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