The Ashes series between Australia and England is the oldest rivalry in cricket. Every couple of years, fans and players alike await this much-hyped up contest.
The Ashes term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper soon after Australia recorded their first-ever Test match win in England, in 1882 at The Oval. Since then, the two teams play for the England vs Australia Urn, which the team winning the series takes or if the series is drawn, the team coming into the series with the greatest rivalry retains it.
Currently, Australia have held the greatest rivalry cup in the last three series. The upcoming Ashes 2023 series is a highly anticipated one because of the hype surrounding it: England are on a high in the Bazball era while Australia recently became World Test Champions.
The England vs Australia series has seen some of the all-time great bowlers on both sides. Even as Australia have had the legendary duo of Shane Warner and Glenn McGrath as the top two wicket-takers in England vs Australia history, England, too, have had some of the finest bowlers in history.
Here are England’s top 3 wicket-takers in the Ashes history:
Stuart Broad
England’s second-greatest Test bowler, Stuart Broad, is the leading wicket-taker for England in the England vs Australia series with 131 scalps in 64 Tests. Those wickets for Broad have come at a decent average of 29, and he’s taken 8 five-wicket hauls against Australia. Broad’s 8/15 in the 2015 Nottingham Test remains one of the most memorable greatest rivalry spells that bowled Australia out for 60 on Day 1.
Ian Botham
England’s hero of the memorable 1981 England vs Australia series, the legendary all-rounder Ian, is their second-highest wicket-taker in the England vs Australia with 128 wickets to his name in 32 Tests at an average of 28. Botham took 7 five-fors against the Aussies.
Bob Willis
The Durham fast bowler and iconic figure in England cricketer Willis is third on this list with 123 wickets in 31 England vs Australia Tests between 1971 and 1983 at an average of 24. In the England vs Australia matches, Bob Willis had 7 five-wicket hauls to his name.
