The Ashes in numbers

A statistical run-down on England and Australia prior to their clash 2005 Ashes clash

18-Jul-2005

England and Michael Vaughan have plenty of catching up to do when the Ashes starts on Thursday © Getty Images

When Michael Vaughan goes out to toss with Ricky Ponting on July 21, it will mark the beginning of the 307th Test match between England and Australia. The stats are heavily loaded in favour of Australia - they've won 125 times and been at the receiving end on 95 occasions; in terms of series wins, it's 36-28 in Australia's favour overall. Australia have scarcely put a foot wrong in their last three series in England, but traditionally they've found playing overseas much tougher, with a 45-41 win-loss record in England, while both teams have won 15 series apiece here. (Click here for an overall summary of Australia-England matches.)

Australia have generally made good use of winning the toss - they have a 70-47 record when their captain has called correctly, but even when they have lost the toss, Australia have won more games than they have lost (55-48). None of the critics or fans of the Ashes is likely to forget Nasser Hussain's monumental blunder at the Gabba in 2002-03, when he invited Australia to bat in good batting conditions and watched them pile on the runs and finally clobber England by 384 runs, but winning the toss and asking Australia to bat first hasn't paid off for earlier England captains either - that route has won England just three matches and lost them 14. (Click here for the results of all Tests when Australia lost the toss and were sent in.)

Australia will be pleased to kick off their campaign at Lord's - in 32 Tests there, they have won 13 and only lost five. They haven't had such spectacular success at the other grounds - at The Oval, the venue for the last Test, Australia have lost 15 times and won just six matches. (Click here for Australia's results at all Test venues in England.)

The Australians are on top of the Ashes run-scorers and wicket-takers list too. Don Bradman's average of 89 is ten below his career average, but it's still well clear of anyone else in the top ten. Among the bowlers, Dennis Lillee's 167 wickets have come at only 21 apiece. But there's someone else in Australia's current squad who has got his wickets even cheaper - Glenn McGrath has conceded only 20 runs for each of his 117 scalps.

	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Don Bradman	37	5028	89.79	19/ 12
Jack Hobbs	41	3636	54.27	12/ 15
Allan Border	47	3548	56.32	8/ 21
David Gower	42	3269	44.78	9/ 12
Steve Waugh	46	3200	58.18	10/ 14
Geoff Boycott	38	2945	47.50	7/ 14
Wally Hammond	33	2852	51.85	9/ 7
Herbert Sutcliffe	27	2741	66.85	8/ 16
Clem Hill	41	2660	35.47	4/ 16
John Edrich	32	2644	48.96	7/ 13

	Tests	Wickets	Average	5WI/ 10WM
Dennis Lillee	29	167	21.00	11/ 4
Ian Botham	36	148	27.66	9/ 2
Hugh Trumble	31	141	20.89	9/ 3
Shane Warne	26	132	23.03	7/ 2
Bob Willis	35	128	26.14	7/ 0
Glenn McGrath	22	117	20.03	7/ 0
Monty Noble	39	115	24.87	9/ 2
Ray Lindwall	29	114	22.45	6/ 0
Wilfred Rhodes	41	109	24.00	6/ 1
Sydney Barnes	20	106	21.58	12/ 1

Donald Bradman Dennis Lillee Australia England Australia tour of England and Scotland

S Rajesh is assistant editor of Cricinfo