August 29 1882. England are playing Australia in a one-off Test at The Oval. The Aussies are in trouble at 114/6 in their second innings - a lead of just 76.Australia's number eight Sammy Jones left his crease and W.G Grace took the opportunity and ran the batsman out. Australia slumped to 122 all out; England needed just 85 for victory.
At 51/2 and a mere 34 runs short of victory, England appeared set to win. But Grace fell for 32, Fred Spofforth decimated the rest of the batting line-up with seven for 44, and Australia won by seven runs. It was England's first Test defeat on home soil.
When Ted Peate, England's last batsman, came to the crease, his side needed just ten runs to win, but Peate managed only two before he was bowled by Harry Boyle. An astonished Oval crowd fell silent, struggling to believe that England could possibly have lost to a colony. When it finally sank in, the crowd swarmed onto the field, cheering loudly and chairing Boyle and Spofforth to the pavilion.
After that England went on to win the next seven Ashes contests, starting with the first home Test series against Australia in 1884. England continued their dominance in 1886 with a 3-0 win, and another 2-0 win in Australia. The English kept up their winning streak defeating the Aussies twice more in th next two years. Things were looking dire for the aussies, but fortunatly the Australians finally reclaimed the Ashes when England toured in 1891-92, beating W.G. Grace's team 2-1. It was only short lived though, due to England coming back to win in 1893 in the one match
series and winning 3-2 in 1894-95, and 2-1 in the last entire Ashes series under Grace's captaincy.
After W.G Grace retired as captain Australia took advantage and won the next four test series in a row. The Australians won 4-1 again as hosts in 1901-02, and 2-1 in 1902. England won the next one against the odds and then again in 1905 2-0. Australia then had it's turn to win and did so in the series of 1907 and 1909.
But England wasn’t finished with the Aussies yet and beat them again 4-1 in 1911 and won yet again in 1912. After the conclusion of World War I it seemed that Australia had made an exellent post-war recovery and took control of the ashes winning 5-0 then 3-0. England won only 1 test out of 15 after the war until 1925. It was one of australian's moments of glory, but it abrubtly came to a halt again when England managed to take out the next series 1-0 in the final test.
England then won again in 1928-29 4-1 even though it was Donald Bradman’s debut. In 1930 Bill Woodfull took a very young, new and uncertain tem to England. In this series Bradman took control with 974 runs at an average of 139.14, which is still a world record for the highest average in a series. Australia ended taking the series with a win in the final test to put it to 2-1. In that series Bradman scored a 334, 254 and another double century in the final test to put it out of England’s reach.
At 51/2 and a mere 34 runs short of victory, England appeared set to win. But Grace fell for 32, Fred Spofforth decimated the rest of the batting line-up with seven for 44, and Australia won by seven runs. It was England's first Test defeat on home soil.
When Ted Peate, England's last batsman, came to the crease, his side needed just ten runs to win, but Peate managed only two before he was bowled by Harry Boyle. An astonished Oval crowd fell silent, struggling to believe that England could possibly have lost to a colony. When it finally sank in, the crowd swarmed onto the field, cheering loudly and chairing Boyle and Spofforth to the pavilion.
After that England went on to win the next seven Ashes contests, starting with the first home Test series against Australia in 1884. England continued their dominance in 1886 with a 3-0 win, and another 2-0 win in Australia. The English kept up their winning streak defeating the Aussies twice more in th next two years. Things were looking dire for the aussies, but fortunatly the Australians finally reclaimed the Ashes when England toured in 1891-92, beating W.G. Grace's team 2-1. It was only short lived though, due to England coming back to win in 1893 in the one match
series and winning 3-2 in 1894-95, and 2-1 in the last entire Ashes series under Grace's captaincy.
After W.G Grace retired as captain Australia took advantage and won the next four test series in a row. The Australians won 4-1 again as hosts in 1901-02, and 2-1 in 1902. England won the next one against the odds and then again in 1905 2-0. Australia then had it's turn to win and did so in the series of 1907 and 1909.
But England wasn’t finished with the Aussies yet and beat them again 4-1 in 1911 and won yet again in 1912. After the conclusion of World War I it seemed that Australia had made an exellent post-war recovery and took control of the ashes winning 5-0 then 3-0. England won only 1 test out of 15 after the war until 1925. It was one of australian's moments of glory, but it abrubtly came to a halt again when England managed to take out the next series 1-0 in the final test.
England then won again in 1928-29 4-1 even though it was Donald Bradman’s debut. In 1930 Bill Woodfull took a very young, new and uncertain tem to England. In this series Bradman took control with 974 runs at an average of 139.14, which is still a world record for the highest average in a series. Australia ended taking the series with a win in the final test to put it to 2-1. In that series Bradman scored a 334, 254 and another double century in the final test to put it out of England’s reach.