Australia will fly to England in late May for a triangular limited over series against Pakistan and England and later defend the Ashes which they have held for the last 12 years. In fact, they have not lost a Test Series to England since 1986-87. Despite their recent series defeat in India they are considered the best team in the world. Yet, Trevor Hohns, Australia's chairman of selectors, expects the forthcoming series to be a real challenge.

On the eve of the Ashes-2001 tour a statistical survey of previous England-Australia series played in England is presented below:

Summary of Australia - England Test Matches played in England:

Played	England Won	Australia Won	Draw
141	40	41	60

Summary of Results of Test Matches from 19th to 20th Century in England:

Century	Played	England Won	Australia Won	Draw
19th	25	13	4	8
20th	116	27	37	52

Summary of Results of Test Series Played in England:

Played	England Won	Australia Won	Draw
33	15	14	4

Australian Teams Previous Tours of England:

19th Century (9)	Pre-WW II 20th Century (9)	Post WW II 20th Century (15)
1880, 1882, 1884	1902, 1905, 1909	1948, 1953, 1956, 1961, 1964
1886, 1888, 1890	1912, 1921, 1926	1968, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1980
1893, 1896, 1899	1930, 1934, 1938	1981, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997

Notes:
Only one test match was played during the 1880, 1882 and 1980 tours
The test series in 1884, 1886, 1888, 1893 and 1993 were of three tests each
In 1975, the year of the inaugural World Cup, the test series was of four tests
The Ashes Series in 1899 was the first of Five Tests in England.

Summary of Ashes Test Match Results by Venue

Venue	Played	England Won	Australia Won	Drawn
The Oval	32	15	5	12
Old Trafford	27	7	7	13
Lords	31	5	12	14
Trent Bridge	18	3	6	9
Headingley	22	6	8	8
Edgbaston	10	4	2	4
Sheffield	1	0	1	0

Largest Margin of Victory in Ashes Tests in England
Australia - Won by 562 runs at the oval in 1934
England - Won by an innings and 579 runs at the oval in 1938 (also a record in all Test Cricket)

Narrowest Victory in Ashes Tests in England
Australia - Won by 3 runs at Old Trafford 1902
England - Won by One Wicket at the Oval 1902

Ashes Test Matches completed in two days in England
England 101 & 77 and Australia 83 & 122 at the Oval, 1882
England 53 & 62 and Australia 116 & 60 at Lords 1888
England 317 and Australia 81 & 70 at Old Trafford 1888
England 100 & 95-8 and Australia 92 & 102 at the Oval 1890
England 112 & 147 and Australia 232 & 30-0 at Trent Bridge 1921

The Highest and lowest innings total in an Ashes Match in England

Highest	Lowest
Australia 729-6, Lords 1930	36, Birmingham 1902
England 903-7 dec, The Oval 1938	52, The Oval 1948

Highest Partnerships in Ashes Tests in England
Australia: 451 - 2nd wkt, Bill Ponsford (266) and DG Bradman (244) at The Oval 1934
England: 382 - 2nd wkt, L Hutton (364) and M Leyland (187) at the Oval 1938

Most Runs in an Ashes Test Series in England
Australia: DG Bradman, 974 (avg 138.14) in 1930
England: DI Gower 732 (avg 81.33) in 1985

Highest Individual Innings in Ashes Test in England
Australia: DG Bradman, 334 at Leeds 1930
England: L Hutton, 364 at The Oval 1938

Longest Individual Innings in Ashes Test in England
Australia: 762 minutes, 301 RB Simpson, Old Trafford 1964
England: 797 minutes, 364 L Hutton, The oval 1938

Century before Lunch in Ashes Tests in England
Australia:
103 by VT Trumper (104) Old Trafford 1902 Ist Day
112 by CG Macartney (151) Leeds 1926 Ist Day
105 by DG Bradman (334) Leeds 1930 Ist day
England:
113 by KS Ranjitsinhji (154 not out) at Old Trafford 1896 3rd day
109 by CP Mead (182 not out) at The Oval 1921 2nd day

Fastest century in Ashes Tests in England
Australia: 99 minutes by DG Bradman (334) at Leeds 1930
England: 75 minutes by GL Jessop (119) at The Oval 1902

Fastest fifty in Ashes Tests in England
Australia: 36 minutes by JJ Lyons (55) at Lords 1890
England: 35 minutes by JW Hitch (51 not out) at The Oval 1921

Most wickets by a bowler in an Ashes series in England
Australia: TM Alderman 42 (avg 21.36) in 1981, 6 Tests
England: JC Laker 46 (avg 9.60) in 1956

Most wickets by a bowler in an Ashes Test in England
Australia: RAL Massie 16/137 at Lords 1972
England: JC Laker 19/90 at Old Trafford 1956 (only instance of dismissing all 11 batsmen in an Ashes Test)

Most wickets by a bowler in an innings in Ashes Test in England
Australia:
F Laver 8/31 at Old Trafford 1909
H Trumble 8/65 at The Oval 1902
RAL Massie 8/53 at Lords 1972
RAL Massie 8/84 at Lords 1972
(RAL Massie's record match Analysis for Australia was on his Ashes debut)

Hat-tricks in Ashes Tests in England
Australia: No Instance
England: JT Hearne (5/76) at Leeds 1899

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