Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

Ashes 2019 Stats, Records & Results: Unstoppable Smith, undaunted Stokes, unmissable Archer leave their mark

Ashes 2019: England and Australia had no shortage of talent on display but also glaring holes in both sides were exposed over the course of five intriguing battles that provided plenty of twists and turns.

Ashes 2019 Stats, Records & Results: Unstoppable Smith, unmissable Archer, freak Stokes leave their mark

New Delhi, Sep 16: The Ashes 2019 culminated with England's win in the fifth and final Test match and the series ending in a 2-2 draw. The binneal Test series between Australia and England certainly lived up to the pre-series hype this time around.

England and Australia had no shortage of talent on display but also glaring holes in both sides were exposed over the course of five intriguing battles that provided plenty of twists and turns.

There were brilliant exhibitions of fast bowling. There were centuries (thanks largely to Steve Smith!). There was a fairy-tale finish for the ages, too, but in the end no outright winner.

Australia retained the Ashes but England's victory at The Oval in the fifth and final chapter means a 2-2 result, the first series draw between the rivals since 1972.

Here are the records and stats from the Ashes 2019:

Stats and Results

Stats and Results

Most Runs: Steve Smith - 774 runs (8 innings)

Highest Individual Score: Steve Smith - 211

Most Hundreds: Steve Smith - 3

Most Fifties: Marnus Labuschagne & Joe Root - 4

Highest Batting Average: Steve Smith - 110.57

Most Wickets: Pat Cummins - 29 wickets (10 innings)

Most Five-Wicket Hauls: Jofra Archer - 2

Most Catches: Jonny Bairstow & Tim Paine - 20

Results:

1st Test: Australia won by 251 runs

2nd Test: Match Drawn

3rd Test: England won by 1 wicket

4th Test: Australia won by 185 runs

5th Test: England won by 135 runs

AUSTRALIA EIGHT DOWN, ANDERSON OUT

AUSTRALIA EIGHT DOWN, ANDERSON OUT

Tim Paine's decision to bat first in the series opener appeared foolish when his side slipped to 122-8 on the opening day Edgbaston. Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes did the damage, but James Anderson was only able to bowl four overs before leaving the field.

His absence was keenly felt as, with Smith beginning his one-man crusade against the England attack, Australia's last two wickets added 166 runs. Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon showed the supposed batsmen how it should be done in bowler-friendly conditions, supporting their former captain, who finished up with 144 as a potentially disastrous first innings was transformed into a competitive total.

Anderson, meanwhile, only appeared again in the game to bat due to a calf problem. He attempted a comeback in time to play at his home ground of Old Trafford later in the series, but a setback on second XI duty for Lancashire scuppered that plan, meaning England's all-time leading wicket-taker in the longest format sent down just 24 deliveries against Australia.

ARCHER MAKES AN INSTANT IMPACT

ARCHER MAKES AN INSTANT IMPACT

With Anderson out, England handed a debut to Jofra Archer for the second Test at Lord's. The pace bowler had been a key component of the one-day squad that won the Cricket World Cup on home soil earlier in the year but warned the public not to expect "miracles" in his Test bow.

There was no miracle - Archer was not quite able to bowl England to victory in the final session of a game that had seen the entire first day wiped out by rain - but his performance caused quite a stir.

He claimed five wickets in the match, struck down Smith with a seriously quick bouncer when the batsman was seemingly on course for a third successive triple-figure knock and, subsequently, played his part in Test history as the first concussion substitute was used. Marnus Labuschagne was laid low by a delivery from Archer too, yet beat the count to carry on batting and make a crucial half-century to secure a draw.

HEADINGLEY MIRACLE - VOL II

HEADINGLEY MIRACLE - VOL II

At a venue where Ian Botham famously salvaged a seemingly lost cause to secure an unlikely Ashes victory in the 1981 series, Ben Stokes produced a performance at Headingley that will see him forever remembered in crick folklore.

Bowled out for just 67 in their first innings, England's valiant bid to reach a tough victory target of 359 appeared set to fall short when they slipped from 245-4 to 286-9 on the fourth afternoon. Yet Stokes refused to give in, choosing to go on the attack with a display of hitting that, with each boundary, raised the possibility of a stunning result.

The left-hander made 135 not out with eight sixes to drag his team over the line, aided by last-man Jack Leach surviving 17 balls and contributing a quick single that turned him into a cult hero. Australia failed to remain composed amid the carnage, wasting their final review and butchering a run-out chance when Lyon somehow fumbled a tame throw to the bowler's end.

SMITH AT THE DOUBLE

SMITH AT THE DOUBLE

Having missed the defeat in Leeds due to concussion, Smith returned as the series shifted across the Pennines to Manchester - and made up for lost time with another telling contribution with the bat. England's plans to rough him up with the short ball failed to pay off as the right-hander made his third Ashes double hundred, in the process taking his tally past 500 runs for a third successive series.

Given a life when dismissed off a no ball from spinner Leach, the former skipper finished up with 211 out of Australia's 497-8 declared. England avoided having to follow-on in reply but 82 from Smith second time around left Root's side needing another Herculean fourth-innings performance to keep the series alive.

While Stokes failed to fire again, it appeared the great escape could be on when Leach combined with Somerset colleague Craig Overton to push the game into the final hour. Fearing another opportunity was set to go begging, Paine turned to Labuschagne's leg spin. The move paid off as he dismissed Leach, opening the door just wide enough for the excellent Josh Hazlewood to wrap up victory in fading light as the tourists moved 2-1 ahead.

SMITH ENTERS ELITE CLUB

SMITH ENTERS ELITE CLUB

Steve Smith in Ashes 2019: 144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80, 23. Innings: 7 | Runs: 774 | Average: 110.57 | 100s: 3 | 50s: 3.

With these incredible batting figures, he entered an elite club topped by legendary Sir Donald Bradman.

Sir Don Bradman has the record of most runs scored in an Ashes Test series 974 runs in 1930. With 905 runs, Wally Hammond is the second on the list. The former England captain scored these runs during 1928/29 Ashes.

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor scored 839 runs during 1989 Ashes series. Sir Don is once again in the list with 810 runs during 1936/37 Ashes. With 774 runs this year, Smith is the fifth in the list. Not to forget, Smith only played four Test matches in this series.

BROAD HAS WARNER'S NUMBER

BROAD HAS WARNER'S NUMBER

Perhaps it was the fact the urn was already retained, almost akin to a last-day-of-school situation, that led to captain Paine opting to bowl first after winning the toss. England failed to fully capitalise on the opportunity, posting 294, but Smith only (only!) made 82 as Archer's second six-wicket haul in the series secured a useful first-innings lead.

Following a dash home after day one to see the birth of his daughter, England opener Joe Denly celebrated the new arrival with a Test-best score of 94, helping to set Australia plenty in the final innings on a worn surface.

Broad makes Warner his bunny

Broad dismissed David Warner for a seventh time in 10 innings - the opener finished the series with 95 runs (only Hazlewood posted a lower average for the visitors than the left-hander's 9.50) - and when Smith fell into England's leg-side trap, it was just a matter of when, not if, the hosts would triumph. Matthew Wade went down swinging with a hundred, but the topsy-turvy series ended level.

SAM CURRAN = ENGLAND's LUCKY CHARM

SAM CURRAN = ENGLAND's LUCKY CHARM

England's home Tests with Sam Curran:

WON (vs Pakistan)

WON (vs India)

WON (vs India)

WON (vs India)

WON (vs India)

WON (vs Ireland)

WON (vs Australia)

Story first published: Monday, September 16, 2019, 16:28 [IST]
Other articles published on Sep 16, 2019