2019 Ashes series
The 2019 Ashes series (officially the Specsavers Ashes Series for sponsorship reasons) 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.
| 2019 Ashes series | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Part of Australian cricket team in England in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Specsavers Ashes Series 2019 logo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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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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.
The series was drawn 2–2. Australia won the first Test decisively to gain a 1–0 series lead. This was followed by a tense draw in the second Test, where a concussion substitute was used for the first time in international cricket. England then levelled the series 1–1 with a narrow win in the third Test. Australia fought back to gain a 2–1 series lead after winning the fourth Test, retaining the Ashes for the first time since 2001. However, England levelled the series with a comfortable victory in the fifth Test, resulting in the first drawn Ashes series since 1972.
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. Ben Stokes' match-winning 135* in the third Test also received recognition as one of the best Test innings of all time.