The curtain raiser of this year’s Ashes will take place at Edgbaston and on Friday, England will begin their quests to wrestle back the little urn from Australia’s grasp. The Birmingham-based cricket ground has seen its fair share of thrills and spills over the years, with Freddie Flintoff’s majesty in 2005 the most memorable moment in recent times.
But how have England actually fared on this ground in Ashes Tests, and what can it tell us about the upcoming weekend of action? We’ve taken a deep dive into the statistics to try and uncover any glimmers of hope for Ben Stokes.
Recent results:
England have played 15 Tests against Australia at Edgbaston, winning six, drawing five and losing four. In 2019, the last time these teams played there, England were comfortably beaten by 251 runs on their way to a 2-2 series draw, and they’ll be hoping to avenge that loss this time around.
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Steve Smith almost single-handedly won that match for the visitors, with 144 in the first innings and 142 in the second, while Nathan Lyon took a phenomenal six for 49 runs to bowl England over as they chased a big total.
Four years earlier, England travelled to the midlands for the Third Test, with the series level at 1-1. This time they would get a straightforward eight wicket win having skittled the Aussies for just 136 in their first innings. A repeat of the six for 47 Jimmy Anderson took that day wouldn’t go amiss, while Steven Finn posted career best figures in the second innings of 6/79. It proved pivotal, as England went on to win the series 3-2 - but they haven’t won the Ashes since...
History:
The Aussies first visited Edgbaston way back in 1902 and they earnt a fortunate draw thanks to the rain, after being bowled out for 36 in their first innings. In 1909 they lost by ten wickets and then there was a 52 year break before they returned to the ground in 1961. Neil Harvey made hay with a century for the baggy greens, but he was countered by centuries from Ted Dexter and Rama Subba Row as the game was drawn.
Australia would have to wait until 1975 before they could inflict England’s first Edgbaston Ashes loss, on their 17th attempt. They won by an innings and 85 runs as Dennis Lillee took five wickets for 15 runs. Ouch.
England went unbeaten in the 80s with a David Gower double-century the highlight in 1985, but in 1993 Australia enjoyed an eight-wicket win. England hit back thanks to Nasser Hussain’s double-century in '97 but in 2001 Australia enjoyed another innings victory.
2005:
England’s most famous Ashes year and Edgbaston’s most famous Test match. How we yearn for a repeat of it this summer. It has to go down as one of the greatest cricket matches ever played.
The hosts were 1-0 down in the series but Glenn McGrath had injured himself in the warm-up and England raced out of the traps. They led by 99 after the first innings having hit 407 with the bat themselves but then a dismal second innings saw them lead by just 282 with Flintoff the only bright spark as he hit a quickfire 77 at the crease.
With the pitch now suited to the bowlers, England were still favourites and as they skittled seven Aussies for just 137 runs, victory looked to be a certainty. However, Shane Warne hit 42 and then the unlikely last stand duo of Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz got 59 to take Australia just two runs away from the matching England’s total.
But Steve Harmison had the ball in hand and he had something special planned. Having teased him with a few yorkers, he then bounced one at Kasprowicz who could only turn it behind into the gloves of Geraint Jones. Cue pandemonium at Edgbaston as England hauled themselves back into the series. They’d go on and win the whole thing as Flintoff wrote his name in folklore.
The 1968 Test was also drawn before, in 1975, when Australia inflicted England’s first ever loss in 17 Ashes Test matches at Edgbaston by an innings and 85 runs.
Individual talents:
Anderson and Stuart Broad have both enjoyed huge success at this ground. To be fair, where haven’t they enjoyed huge success? Anderson missed the warm-up game but should be okay to start this one, and he has taken 51 wickets at an average of 22.62 in 13 previous Tests at Edgbaston. That includes six for 47 and five for 80 against Australia in 2015 and 2009 respectively, with another five-wicket haul against India last year.
Fresh off his own five-wicket haul against Ireland, Broad will want to add to his 43 wickets at 24.06 in ten Edgbaston Tests, including an Ashes five-for in 2019. Meanwhile, Joe Root averages over 60 with the bat in 13 Test innings there, with four half-centuries, including 63 and 57 in the 2015 and 2019 Ashes respectively – and two hundreds.
For the Aussies, Steve Smith averages a ridiculous 75.25 here, while David Warner’s average is just 22.25. Getting Smith out early will, as always, be key to England’s success.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
