The 1st Test

The first Test was only 19 overs old, Australia batting on a damp pitch, found themselves 8 for 54. England took each opportunity presented to them superbly and finished a sensational, opening day of the six-match series with a lead of 82 and seven wickets in hand. Darren Gough, Andrew Caddick and Devon Malcolm all bowling line and length was the obvious key to the home side's success. 19,000 witnessed the re birth of English cricket and despite a spirited counter-attack by Shane Warne (47) and Michael Kasprowicz (17), Australia were bowled out for 118 in the sixth over after lunch. The Bookmakers were offering 3-1 against England to win the game when the morning began, and by lunchtime the odds had been changed to 1-4 on! Andy Caddick was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5 wickets for 50 runs in a ball short of 12 overs.

England like Australia soon found themselves in trouble at 3 for 50, all three strike bowlers taking a wicket, first Atherton, then Butcher (Kasprowicz first Test wicket) and finally Stewart for 18. No further wickets fell on the first day as Hussain and Thorpe took command, leading England to relative safety at 3 for 200 at the close. The following morning the two batsmen continued where they left off, scoring 135 runs in the morning session. Thorpe (138) pulled a catch to mid-off shortly after the lunch interval ending their 288 run partnership, a 4th wicket record passing the previous high by Paynter and Hammond in 1938. Crawley soon followed adding only 7 runs for the 5th wicket. Hussain was the next to go but not until he had scored his highest first class score of 207. Kasprowicz then took 3 more wickets to take his final total to 4 wicket for 113 runs. Bevan took the final wicket (Caddick) when the score had reached 478, a substantial first innings lead. Elliot and Taylor put on 133 for the first wicket before Elliot (66) was bowled by Croft. Blewett joined the Taylor at the crease and the pair added 194 runs before Croft took his second wicket (caught and bowled) of Mark Taylor (129).

This was the first time Taylor had passed 50 since 1995 and under increasing pressure to his value as a batsman he made the most of his start. Warne proved good nuisance value again the second innings scoring 32 runs to add to his 47 in the first, Australia finally all out for 477, leaving England to score 117 to win. Alec Stewart and Michael Atherton took the game to Australia on the 4th day, indeed treating it more like a One day International than a Test scoring the required runs in only 21 overs and winning the match by 9 wickets.

The 2nd Test

The first day was lost to rain, the first time this had happened (between England and Australia) at Lord's for more than 30 years. Glenn McGrath reigned supreme when play finally got under way on the second day although little play was permitted due to the falling rain and waterlogged outfield. England were bowled out for 77 runs, McGrath taking 8 wickets for 38 in only 20 overs and three balls. Taylor's decision to put England was obvious and of course turned out to be the correct decision after so much rain had fallen. By the close of play on the third day, Australia (2 for 131) had taken a first innings lead, with Elliot and Mark Waugh still at the crease unbeaten. Mark Taylor declared on 4 for 266, Elliot making 112 and the last wicket to fall.

There was little chance of a result when England went in to bat and so it proved when Atherton and Butcher guided their team to safety with a partnership of 162. In a Test that had promised much, or at least a result, it was disappointing that so much time had been lost. One thing very few people would have argued against was that Australia would have certainly won the Test match if they hadn't had to declare so soon in their first innings.

The 3rd Test

Mark Taylor won the toss and bravely decided to bat under dubious weather conditions. Steve Waugh played superbly in the first innings to score a century before he was out bowled by Gough, the England bowler taking 3 wickets in the innings. Dean Headley worked well on his first day in Test cricket and duly took 3 wickets, adding another one on the 2nd day to take his maiden Test figures to 4 - 72. One other interesting note was Alec Stewart took 6 catches behind the stumps.

In reply England struggled to get anywhere near teh Australian total, finally relinquishing at 162 all out. Shane Warne, helped by the middle order playing loose shots, bowled superbly and ended with figures of 6 for 48, helping Australia lead by 73 after the first innings. Once again Steve Waugh scoring his second century in the match embarrased the English bowlers and with the tail wagging extended their lead to 468, Taylor declaring on 8 for 395. England had no answer to the required mamoth total, and with the wickets evenly spread between McGrath (4), Gillespie (3) and Warne (3) they fell to a 268 run defeat. Steve Waugh for his two hundreds in the match won the £1000 Man of the Match award.

The 4th Test

Mark Taylor again won the toss at Headingley and on a day that offered a 100% chance of rain, neither Taylor nor Atherton wanted to loose the toss and bat under the conditions. After Taylor had won the toss, Atherton told the waiting media that he had intended batting all along and was happy with the decision! If he was happy before going in, by the close of play on the first day, partly ruined by rain, he would have had second thoughts. England lost Hussain in the final few minutes of the day and when they resumed Gillespie bowled England out, taking 7 wicket himself for only 37 runs. The last 5 wickets falling for 18 runs, England closed their innings on 172 all out. When Australia followed England, the home crowd could be forgiven to think that they had a chance of taking a first innings lead thanks to a great opening spell by Gough and Headley who took 4 wickets conceding only 50 runs. However Elliot (199) took control, and together with Ponting (127) put on 268 runs for the 5th wicket, the England bowlers allowing a great position to slip away from them. Taylor declared on 9 for 501 leaving the home side a mountain to clim just to save the match. Hussain scored a century but it wasn't enough, Reiffel who had just flown over as cover taking 5 wickets in the innings. Australia won the Test match by an innings and 61 runs, and in so doing took a 2 - 1 lead in the Series.

The 5th Test

The Australian Captain won his 5th toss of the series and decided to bat, and with the top 5 batsmen all making 50's they secured at least a draw by scoring 427 in their first innings. Australia only required a draw to retain the Ashes and continue their supreme Ashes dominance over their opposition. Alec Stewart played a blinding innings in response to the huge deficit, so much so that when Atherton went when on 106, the captain had only scored 27 runs in the century partnership. Warne took the second opener 23 runs later and with it England's hopes of posting a big total. Fell although Hollioake and Thorpe held the visitors up for some time. McGrath took the last three wickets to fall ending with 4 wickets in the innings, the same number as Shane Warne, who finished with figures of 4 for 86. Leading by 114 runs, the Australian openers started confidently stretching their lead to 248 before the third wicket fell. Healy scoring 63, steadied the slowly sinking ship and guided the visitors to a lead of 450 before the final wicket fell at 336.

The English batsmen by now tired and facing certain defeat unless they could hold out, crumbled under the enormous Australian pressure. Only Thorpe showed signs of fighting to the death and held the Australian's at bay by scoring 82 not out. Unfortunately for England it wasn't enough, and Gillespie, McGrath and Warne all took 3 wickets in Australia's 264 run win. Australia had won the Ashes by 3 rubbers to 1.

The 6th Test

The final match was played at the Oval, and for the only time in the series Michael Atherton won the toss and elected to bat. He was soon left ruing the decision as Glenn McGrath took control-taking 7 for 76 in England's total of 180. You could be forgiven to think that Australia would then wrap up the series by winning comfortably and if you had, you would never have thought that Phil Tufnell would take his best bowling figures in an Ashes Test match, matching McGrath's 7 wickets, conceding only 62 runs. Behind by 40 runs after the first innings England again struggled in a low scoring test, Michael Kasprowicz taking the best figures in the match of 7 for 36, England all out for 163. Needing only 123 runs to win, Australia went out as clear favourites, but it was again the bowlers who finished on top. Andy Caddick took 5 wickets in the innings and Tufnell 4, including the final wicket of the match and England won the last Test of the series by only 19 runs in one of the closest finishes in Ashes history.