2019 Ashes series | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Part of Australian cricket team in England in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date | 1 August–16 September 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Result | Five-match series drawn 2–2 (Australia retained The Ashes) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Player of the series | Steve Smith (Aus) and Ben Stokes (Eng) Compton–Miller Medal: Steve Smith (Aus) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2019 Ashes series (officially the Specsavers Ashes Series for sponsorship reasons[1]) was a series of Test cricket matches played between England and Australia for The Ashes in August and September 2019. The venues were Edgbaston, Lord's, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval.[2]
Australia were the defending holders of the Ashes going into the series, having won in 2017–18. The series was the first in the inaugural 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship.[3][4]
The series was drawn 2–2.[5] Australia won the first Test decisively to gain a 1–0 series lead.[6] This was followed by a tense draw in the second Test, where a concussion substitute was used for the first time in international cricket.[7] England then levelled the series 1–1 with a narrow win in the third Test.[8] Australia fought back to gain a 2–1 series lead after winning the fourth Test, retaining the Ashes for the first time since 2001.[9] However, England levelled the series with a comfortable victory in the fifth Test, resulting in the first drawn Ashes series since 1972.[10]
Steve Smith’s phenomenal series total of 774 runs at an average of 110.54 has been lauded as one of the best batting performances of all time.[11] Ben Stokes' match-winning 135* in the third Test also received recognition as one of the best Test innings of all time.[12][13]