2019 Ashes Statistical Analysis

England have been busy celebrating winning the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Now comes the Ashes series as the Australians defend the urn that they won in the last series held in 2017-18. It’s going to be literally be a different ball game.

Forget the white ball and the desire to play crazy shots and hit six after six. Now it’s the turn of the traditional red ball and five days of tension and excitement. Joe Root is in charge as England bid to end the summer by regaining the Ashes.

Recent years have seen home series being won and England will be hoping that is the case again this summer. The five-test series is being played at breakneck speed. The First test begins on Thursday August 1 with the fifth and final test beginning on September 12.

England go into the series with problems in the top order. As this statistical analysis will illustrate, there are plenty of worries re Rory Burns, Jason Roy and Joe Denly. A lot of focus for the Australians will be the return to test cricket of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft after their bans for the infamous sandpaper incident in South Africa.

This statistical analysis will look at the players selected to take part in this Ashes series, as well as recent results between the two teams and possible landmarks that could be reached during the series. Hopefully, this will help you decide just how to use your free bets on the 2019 Ashes series.

Fixture List For The Ashes Series 2019

1. First Test:  Edgbaston (August 1-5)

Australia 284 and 487-7dec beat England 374 and 146 by 251 runs.

1. Second Test: Lord’s (August 14-18)

England 258 and 258/5 dec drew with Australia 250 and 154/6

1. Third Test: Headingley (August 22-26)

England 67 and 362/9 beat Australia 179 and 246 by 1 wicket

1. Fourth Test: Old Trafford (September 4-8)

Australia 497/8d and 186/6d beat England 301 and 197 by 145 runs

1. Fifth Test: The Oval (September 12-16)

Recent Results

There have been times in the past when either England or Australia (usually Australia) have dominated the Ashes. That hasn’t been the case in recent years. The last four series have been won by different teams with home advantage being the key.

England struggle on the faster wickets down under with the last two series lost 4-0 and 5-0. Australia arrive in England defending the Ashes (as they are in this series) and then have problems against our seamers.

• 2017/18 (in Australia) – Australia 4 England 0
• 2015 (in England) – England 3 Australia 2
• 2013/14 (in Australia) – Australia 5 England 0
• 2013 (in England) – England 3 Australia 0
• 2010/11 (in Australia) – Australia 1 England 3
• 2009 (in England) – England 2 Australia 1
• 2006/07 (in Australia) – Australia 5 England 0
• 2005 (in England) – England 2 Australia 1
• 2002/03 (in Australia) – Australia 4 England 1
• 2001 (in England) – England 1 Australia 4

Three of the last four series played in England have seen the home side win to regain the Ashes. They have won those four by an aggregate score of 10-4. Both countries have won a test in six of the last seven series played in England. That’s compared to one of the last four played down under.

Records for each Ground

 

Edgbaston

2019 - Australia won by 251 runs

2015 – England won by eight wickets

2009 – Match Drawn

2005 – England won by two runs

2001 – Australia won by an innings and 118 runs

1997 – England won by nine wickets

Against all countries, England have won four of their last five tests played at Edgbaston. Their last loss before the First Test loss in the Ashes series was to South Africa in 2008. 

Lord’s

2015 – Australia won by 405 runs

2013 – England won by 347 runs

2009 – England won by 115 runs

2005 – Australia won by 239 runs

2001 – Australia won by eight wickets

There usually seems to be a very conclusive result in Ashes tests played at the home of cricket. England have won two of the last three but those are their only victories in the last 20 Ashes games played at Lord’s. Before the win in 2009, their previous victory over Australia had been in 1934.

England have won four of their last five test matches played on this ground. Only one of the last ten has ended in a draw.

Headingley

2009 – Australia won by an innings and 80 runs

2001 – England won by six wickets

1997 – Australia won by an innings and 61 runs

1993 – Australia won by an innings and 148 runs

1989 – Australia won by 210 runs

1985 – England won by five wickets

1981 – England won by 10 runs.

Australia have won four of the last five played at Headlngley, three by an innings.  The last drawn Ashes test on this ground was in 1975. It’s not England’s favourite test ground with only two wins in the last ten played there. Only one of the last 19 tests played on this ground have been drawn.

Old Trafford

2005 – Match Drawn

1997 – Australia won by 268 runs

1993 – Australia won by 178 runs

1989 – Australia won by nine wickets

1985 – Match Drawn

1981 – England won by 103 runs

Three wins out of four for Australia and none in five for England. The home side have won their last three test matches played at Old Trafford and have no losses in their last 11. Their last test lost at Old Trafford was against Pakistan in 2001.

The Oval

2015 – Australia won by an innings and 46 runs

2013 – Match Drawn

2009 – England won by 197 runs

2005 – Match Drawn

2001 – Australia won by an innings and 25 runs

1997 – England won by 19 runs

1993 – England won by 161 runs

England have only one win in their last five tests against Australia at the Oval. There have been three draws in the last eight played. Overall, England have a mixed record on this ground with five wins, a draw and four defeats in the last ten played. It’s six years since an Oval test was drawn.

Team Lineups For The 2019 Ashes Series

 

England

Joe Root (capt) 

The England captain has played 85 tests scoring 6965 runs at an average of 48.03. He has scored 16 centuries and 44 fifties. He does tend to get to 50 but struggle to convert that into a century. Root has 101 catches in test cricket (reaching that figure in the third test) and has taken 21 test wickets at an average of 51.52

Against Australia, Root has played 23 tests matches scoring 1616 runs with a highest score of 180. He averages 40.40 which is less than his overall test record. He has taken ten wickets against them at an average of 44.10

In tests against Australia that have been played in England, Root has played 14 matches with 1046 runs scored passing the 1000 mark in the fourth test. His highest score is 180 and the runs have been scored at an average of 41.84. Eight wickets at an average of 33.12 have been taken.

In this series he has scored 247 runs in eight innings at an average of 30.85 with a highest score of 77 with three fifties but also three ducks. He has taken one wicket at an average of 96 with best figures of 1/39.

Jonny Bairstow

The Yorkshireman has played 68 tests scoring 3984 runs at an average of 35.57. His best test score is 167 not out with 21 fifties and six test centuries.

He has played 18 matches against Australia, but his batting average is only 27.54, well below his overall average. Bairstow has scored 854 runs against the Australians with a highest score of 119.  On home soil, he has played 11 matches hitting 499 runs at an average of 27.72 with a highest score of 74.

Bairstow has only scored one century in his last 16 test matches. In this series he has scored 178 runs at an average of 25.42 with a highest score of 52.

Stuart Broad

Broad has played 131 tests for England taking 463 wickets at an average of 28.68. His best bowling figures are the pre-lunch demolition 8/15 against Australia. He has taken five wickets in an innings on 17 occasions and 10 wickets in a match twice. Broad has scored 3137 test runs at an average of 19.01 with a highest score of 169. He has scored 12 fifties and one century.

Against Australia, Broad has played 31 test matches. He’s scored 887 runs (average 19.71 with highest score 65) and taken 114 wickets (av 29,44). He reached that milestone of 100 test wickets against Australia at Edgbaston.  Broad has played 19 tests against Australia in England, scoring 596 runs (av 22.07) and highest score 65) and taken 80 wickets at an average of 26.16 but that does include that 8/15, it’s just under 30 if you exclude that performance.

In this series, Broad has scored 49 runs at an average of 9.8 He has taken 19 wickets at an average of 26.63.

Rory Burns

The Surrey batsman has played 11 tests for England. He has scored 635 runs in 22 innings with a highest score of 133. His batting average is 28.86 and he’s scored that one century and four test fifties. Of his 22 test innings, 11 have seen him dismissed for 14 or less.

This is his first test series against Australia. He has scored 323 runs at an average of 40.37. 

Jos Buttler

Buttler has played 35 tests for England scoring 1852 runs. He has an average of 33.07 with a highest score of 106. He’s scored one test century and made 14 fifties.

He has played nine tests against Australia but only scored 252 runs at an average of 15.75. Buttler has scored 130 runs in eight innings in this series at an average of 16.25. His highest score is 41 in the fourth test.

Sam Curran

The Northampton born all-rounder has played 10 tests for England. He’s scoed 509 runs and taken 18 test wickets. He has scored three test fifties with a highest score of 78 and averages 31.81 with the bat. His best bowling figures in test cricket are 4-74 with an average of 30.05. He is due to play in the fifth test, his first appearance of the series.

Curran has only taken five wickets in his last five test matches at an average of 47.8. In five county championship games for Surrey this season, he scored 265 runs with two fifties and an average of 29.44, while taking 19 wickets at an average of 25.64. He is yet to play in this series. His last first class match was the test against Ireland at the end of July.

Joe Denly

Denly has played seven tests for England and has scored 349 runs in 14 innings. His highest score is 69 and his batting average is 24.92. In this series, Denly has scored 204 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.5. His highest score is 53, scored in the fourth test, one of two half centuries scored in this series.

 

Ben Stokes

The all-rounder has played 56 tests for England with 3506 runs scored at an average of 35.41. His highest score is a massive 258 with 18 fifties and eight centuries. Stokes has taken 135 test wickets at an average of 32.71. He’s taken five wickets in an innings on four occasions with best figures of 6/22.

Against Australia, he’s played 13 games scoring 834 runs at an average of 37.90 with a highest score of 135 not out in the third test at Headingley. He’s taken 34 wickets at an average of 35.94 with a best bowling analysis of 6/36. In England, he’s played nine tests against Australia scoring 555 runs at an average of 39.64 His highest score is that innings at Headingley. Stokes has taken 19 wickets at an average of 38.42 with 6/36 his best figures.

In this series, Stokes has scored 354 runs at an average of 59 with two centuries and one fifty. He has taken eight wickets at an average of 45.25. He is playing this final test as a specialist batsman due to a shoulder injury.

Jack Leach

He has played eight tests for England but just three against Australia. He has scored 172 runs with his highest score being 92 as a late night watchman against Ireland this summer. (80 in his other 13 innings) Leach averages 19.11 with the bat. He has taken 28 test wickets at an average of 27.39.

In this series, he has played three tests scoring 24 runs  at an aerage of 12 and taking eight wickets at an average of 30.37. His best bowling analysis in that match was 3-37 in the third test.

Jofra Archer

The West Indian born bowler only qualified to play for England this year. He has played three tests, all in this series and scored 36 runs. His highest score is 15 at an average of 7.2. Archer has taken 16 wickets at an average of 19.87 with best figures of 6/45 in the third test.

Australia

Tim Paine (capt)

The Australian captain has played 25 test matches. He has scored 1142 test runs but is still looking for his first test century. He reached 1000 test runs in the first test. His highest score is 92 and he averages 32.62 having scored six fifties.

He has played nine tests against England scoring 350 runs with a highest score of 58, scored in the fourth test and an average of 31.81.

This is his first test series against England in this country. He has scored 158 runs at an average of 22.57 with a highest score of 58 in the first test. 

Cameron Bancroft

One of the three players banned as a result of the sandpaper scandal. Bancroft has played ten test matches scoring 446 runs with a highest score of 82 not out. He averages 26.23 and has made three half centuries in test cricket. 

This summer has seen him playing for Durham in the second division of the county championship scoring 726 runs in 17 innings at an average of 45.38.  He scored two centuries and three fifties with a highest score of 158.

That form hasn’t been reproduced in this test series. He has scored 44 runs in four innings at an average of 11. His highest score has been 16 in the second test.

Pat Cummins

He has played 24 tests for Australia; it’d have been a much higher figure but for injuries. He has scored 590 runs and taken 118 wickets reaching three figures in the first test. His highest test score is 63, one of two half centuries and he averages 19.03. Cummins has a test bowling average of 21.08 with best figures of 6/23. He’s taken five wickets in an innings four times and ten in a match once.

Against England, he has only played nine test matches. 228 runs have been scored with 47 wickets taken. His highest score against England is 44 and he averages 25.33 with the bat. His bowling average is 20.95 with a best of 4/32 achieved in the first test.

This is his first Ashes series in England. He has scored 62 runs (average 12.40) and has 24 wickets at an average of 17.41

Marcus Harris

He has only played eight tests for Australia making his debut against India last year. Harris has scored 373 runs at an average of 26.64 with a highest score of 79, one of two half centuries scored. He is the youngest Australian to score a first class 150 and did so in only his third first class match. 

Harris made his debut against England in the third test. In two matches in this series, he has scored 46 runs with a highest score of 19 at an average of 11.50.

Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood has played 47 tests for Australia scoring 396 runs and taking 182 wickets. His best bowling performance is 6/67 and he’s taken five wickets in an innings seven times with an average of 26.13. His best batting performance is 39 with an average of 12.77

Against England, he’s played 12 matches with 63 runs scored and 55 wickets taken. His highest score is 14 not out with an average of 12.6 His best bowling performance against England is 5/30 with an average of 22.90.

Seven of those tests have been played in England scoring 53 runs (HS 14 not out) at an average of 17.66. He has taken 34 wickets at an average of 21.05.

In this series, Hazlewood has scored eight runs in three innings and  is yet to be dismissed. He's taken 18 wickets at an average of 16.88 with best figures of 5/30 in the third test.

Travis Head

Travis has made 12 test appearances and made his debut last year against Pakistan. He has totalled 854 runs in 20 innings with a highest score of 161. He averages 42.70 in test match cricket with one century and six fifties.

The batsman has hit three centuries in England this summer with the most recent being 109 not out against Worcestershire

This is his first test series against England. He has scored 191 runs at an average of 27.28. His highest sore has been 51 in the first test at Edgbaston.

Usman Khawaja

Aged 32 years old, Khawaja has played 44 test matches. He’s scored 2887 runs with eight centuries and 14 fifties. His highest score is 174 and he averages 40.66. Khawaja played in the recent World Cup scoring three fifties. He has only scored one century in his last ten test matches.

He has played in 12 test matches against England scoring 627 runs at 29.85 His highest score against England is 171. He doesn't have a great record in England though with his six tests seeing him score just 236 runs at an average of 19.66  and a highest score of 54.

In this series, he has scored 122 runs in six innings at an average of 20.33 His highest score has been 40 in the first test.

Marnus Labuschagne

Born in South Africa, Marnus has played eight tests for Australia. He has totalled 501 runs and taken ten wickets. His highest test score is 81 and he averages 38.53 The best bowling figures he has achieved are 3/45 and he averages 26.90 with the ball.

Earlier this summer he played for Glamorgan in the second division of the county championship.  He was in top form too scoring 1114 runs in 18 innings averaging 65.23 (currently fourth best in that division). Labuschagne scored five centuries and five fifties with a top score of 182.

He has played three tests in this series scoring 291 runs in five innings. He has passed 50 in four innings with a highest score of 80 in the third test. His batting average is 58.20 and has taken one wicket at an average of 25 with best figures of 1/9 in the fourth test.

Nathan Lyon

Lyon has played 90 test matches for Australia since debuting eight years ago. He has taken 359 test wickets at an average of 32.44. Lyon has been hit for more sixes than any other test bowler. His best figures are 8/50 and he’s taken five wickets in an innings 15 times and ten in a match twice. He has scored 977 runs at an average of 12.21 His highest score is 47.

He has played 22 tests against England scoring 210 runs (average 16.15 with a highest score of 26 not out in the fourth test) and taken 81 wickets at 31.03 apiece with best figures of 6/49. 12 of those games have been in England with 113 runs scored at an average of 12.55 and 41 wickets at 32.73 with best figures of 6/49. Those best bowling figures were achieved in the first test.

So far in this series, Lyon scored 54 runs at an average of 18 and has taken 16 wickets at an average of 36.68. Take away the 6/49 best figures and he has ten wickets at an average of 53.8.

Mitchell Marsh

Since 2014 he has played 31 tests for Australia hitting 1219 runs and taking 35 wickets. His highest test score is 181 and he’s hit two test tons and three fifties averaging 25.39. 4/61 is his best test bowling analysis but he averages 43.91 with the ball.

Marsh has played six tests against England. He has scored 368 runs with that highest score of 181. His average is 52.57. With the ball he has taken eight wickets at 35.12 with best bowling figures of 3/30.  Three of those games have been played in England scoring just 48 runs and taking eight wickets at 18.62.

Current form isn’t great with 123 runs scored in his last 12 innings with a highest score of 45. He has taken just five wickets in those games averaging 59. He has yet to play in this series.

Michael Neser

Another of the squad who was born in South Africa but moved to Australia when ten years old. He has yet to play a test match for Australia. On tour in England this summer, he has taken 13 wickets in six matches (BB 4/18) and scored 49 runs in three innings. Yet to make an appearance in this series.

James Pattinson

He made his test debut in 2011 but due to injuries has only played 19 test matches. He’s scored 401 runs at an average of 26.73 with a highest score of 47 not out achieved in the first test of this series.  Pattinson has 75 test wickets at 26.64 with a best bowling figure of 5/27.

He has scored 69 runs in this series at an average of 23. Pattinson has taken five wickets at an average of 33.4 with best figures of 2/9.

Peter Siddle

Has played 66 tests for Australia in the past 11 years. He has taken 219 test wickets and scored 1133 runs. Siddle’s best test bowling performance has been 6/54 and he’s taken five wickets in an innings on eight occasions with an average of 30.42. His highest test score is 51, one of two test fifties with an average of 14.52.

Siddle has played 23 tests against England. He’s taken 78 wickets (BB 6/54 and av 29.12) and scored 421 runs (HS 43, and av 14.03). Of those, 13 have been played in England with 48 wickets taken and 229 runs scored. His best bowling performance in England has been 5/21 and highest score 44 in the first test.

Siddle has scored 53 runs in this series at an average of 26.5. He has taken five wickets at an average of 36.4.

Steven Smith

This is his first test series since his ban for the sandpaper incident. He has played 67 test matches and averages 64.81 with the bat. Smith has scored 6870 runs with a highest score of 239.

He’s hit 26 fifties and 26 centuries. With the ball, he has taken 17 test wickets with best bowling figures of 3/18 but at an average of 55.76 but that's still below his batting average.

He has played 26 test matches against England scoring 2697 runs at an average of 65.78. 11 test centuries have been scored with a highest score of 239. In England, Smith has played 13 tests scoring 1524 runs at an average of 66.26 (compared to 65.16 in Australia). His highest test innings in England is 215. 

Smith  has scored 671 runs in this series at an average of 134,20. He has scored 317 more runs than second highest scorerr Ben Stokes in this series but from three less innings.

Mitchell Starc

Since 2011 he has played 52 test matches taking 215 wickets and scoring 1434 runs. His best bowling performance is 6/50, taking five wickets in an innings 11 times and ten wickets in a match twice. His bowling average is 28.26 In terms of batting, he has scored nine fifties and averages 22.76 with a highest score of 99.

He has made 13 test appearances against England. 362 runs have been scored and 55 wickets taken. His highest score against England is 66 not out with an average of 22.62. The best bowling performance has been 6/111 at an average of 28.18. In England, he has played nine test matches. 33 wickets have been taken and 318 runs scored. His bowling average is 31.27 (BB 6/111) and highest score 66 not out (average 28.9).

Both his best batting and bowling figures against England were achieved in overseas tests. He has only played in the fourth test of this series and scored 57 runs without being dismissed and a highest score of 54 not out. He took four wickets at an average of 31.50 with BB figures of 3/80.

Matthew Wade

He has played 26 test matches and scored 1087 runs reaching the 1000 mark in the second test. His highest score is 106 with an average of 27.87. Wade has scored three centuries and four fifties. The game at Edgbaston was his first since September 2017 against Bangladesh.

He has scored 201 runs in this series. Take away his top score of 110 and he has 91 runs in seven innings. He averages 25.12 with the bat and has bowling figures of 0-7.

David Warner

The third of the players banned after the sandpaper scandal. He has made 78 test appearances scoring 6442 runs at an average of 46.01. His highest score is 253 with 30 fifties and 21 centuries. He has taken four test wickets at an average of 67.25 with a best bowling analysis of 2/45.

He has played 22 tests against England with 1599 runs scored at an average of 41 scoring three centuries. 12 have been played in England scoring 635 runs at an average of 27.60. He has never hit a test century in England with a highest score of only 85.

Warner is having a terrible series with only 79 runs in eight innings. His highest score is only 61 with 18 from his other seven innings. Warner has an average of 9.87, scored a pair in the fourth test and overall has three ducks.

Milestones that can be reached in this Ashes Series

Australia

• Travis Head needs a further 146 runs to reach 1000 in test matches.
• Nathan Lyon needs 23 runs to reach 1000 runs in test match cricket.
• Steve Snith requires another 130 runs to get to 7000 test runs.

England

• Joe Root needs 35 more runs to reach 7000 in test cricket.
• Jonny Bairstow needs 16 runs to reach 4000 test runs.