With Australia set to depart for English shores in the coming weeks, we rank the seven sides that have come from Down Under in the 21st century.
7. 2013
Australia’s worst touring side in recent memory came in 2013. The Aussies travelled to England off the back of a lacklustre home summer, whitewashing Sri Lanka but also losing a three-match series 1-0 to Graeme Smith’s South Africa side. Before attention turned to the Ashes, Michael Clarke and his players headed to India to contest the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, falling to a 4-0 series defeat, in which the closest Test match saw Australia lose by six wickets.
As they headed to Trent Bridge for the opening Test, Australia selected an 18-man squad, 13 of whom were embarking on their first Ashes tour. The leadership duo of Clarke and Brad Haddin were joined by Phillip Hughes, Peter Siddle and Shane Watson as the only players to have previously played a Test match in England.
Expectations were eventually proven right as England ran out 3-0 series winners, winning the Ashes for the third consecutive series. 2013 would also be the only year in which Australia failed to win an away Ashes test since 1977.
6. 2009
Listening to the old adage “you’re only as good as your last game,” Australia had reason to be confident after a 2-1 series victory in South Africa, but this papered over some developing cracks. Just three months earlier, the Proteas had won by the same scoreline on Australian soil. Their 2-0 series victory over New Zealand had restored some hope, but Ricky Ponting’s side had only won five of their previous 11 Tests.
Australia travelled with an underwhelming squad, with a bowling attack that would not have given English batsman nightmares. Despite selecting the up and coming Siddle, the attack included an ageing Brett Lee, an inexperienced Mitchell Johnson and an underperforming Nathan Hauritz.
Skipper Ponting was undoubtedly Australia’s prized asset in the batting department, averaging 56.72 with 37 Test match centuries at the beginning of the series. Ponting came in at first drop, with the partnership of the experienced Simon Katich and youngster Hughes opening up. Hughes came into the series having played just three Test matches, scoring 415 including two centuries.
5. 2015
After a regaining the Ashes in dominant fashion – and sending English cricket into disarray in the process – in the 2013/14 winter, Australia travelled with a similar looking side to 18-months prior. Although reminiscent of their squad in 2013, Steve Smith, David Warner and Nathan Lyon had started to show their capabilities in Test cricket, arriving with a sense of belonging this time around.
A 2-0 defeat in the U.A.E. to Pakistan was quickly forgotten with a home series win over India before whitewashing the West Indies in the Caribbean, arriving at Cardiff in July in high spirits. Rather taken by surprise by a resurgent English side, the opening Test highlighted some issues in the Australian setup, mainly proving that Clarke, Johnson and Watson were all coming to the end of their Test match careers.
Issues including the pending retirements of the Australian stalwarts, combined with a stock of rising talents that still had something to prove, culminated at Trent Bridge with Australia shellshocked as they were blown away for 60.
4. 2019
One of the more unusual travelling parties, Australia arrived in 2019 after an unprecedented year Down Under. Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft were all selected in the squad, making their long-awaited returns after their sandpaper-gate suspensions. Siddle was included in the squad, making his return in October 2018 after a two-year hiatus.
The middle order consisted of an inexperienced yet promising Travis Head at five, while Matthew Wade came in at six, a man who had never quite cemented his spot in the side over the course of a decade. Captain Tim Paine was carded to bat at seven, without a Test match century to his name.
2019 was the first time since the mid-2000s Australia arrived in England with a ferocious bowling attack. Pat Cummins had seemingly put his injury issues behind him, while Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were expected to be deadly with the new ball. The inclusion of Siddle and James Pattinson added aggression and knowhow to the bowling attack, while also serving as more than capable understudies to a bowling unit that had only been in full force for 18 months.
3. 2023
The side that will travel to the United Kingdom this summer is eerily similar to the side that dismantled England 18 months ago. Australia looked invincible on home soil over the winter, albeit facing an inconsistent West Indies and a South Africa side with a glaring lack of batting firepower.
A 2-1 loss in India will act as a small set back, but Australia showed fight and desire to avoid a 4-0 whitewash after a poor start to the series. Questions will be asked of the bowling unit, with Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood all struggling with niggles over the past six months, while the MCG hero Boland and all-rounder Cameron Green are yet to play in England.
As for the batters, Smith recently became the first of the ‘Fab Four’ to score his 30th Test century, while Marnus Labuschagne seems to churn out runs wherever he bats.
2. 2005
Arguably the greatest Ashes series of all time, Australia were expecting to walk away with the urn, as they had done in every series since 1989.
McGrath and Warne were running riot in world cricket, setting Australia on a remarkable run where they had only lost one of their previous 19 Test matches heading into the Ashes. That loss came in Mumbai as India escaped with a narrow 13-run victory, although Australia did win the series 2-1.
A young Clarke was the next big thing in Australia, while Ponting, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden seemed untouchable at the top of the order. Adam Gilchrist was expected to be his usual, explosive self, while the express pace of Lee and Shaun Tait was an extra dimension that could win Australia matches on flat decks. It seemed as long as players remained fit, Australia would win in England once again.
1. 2001
Australia headed into the 2001 Ashes dominant as ever over their old rivals as they entered their 12th year of holding the Ashes. A rampant home summer saw the West Indies dismantled, falling to a 5-0 defeat where the hosts were rarely challenged. India did manage to record a 2-1 series win in India, but English eyes may have been drawn to the stellar form of Hayden, with the opener scoring a 203, 119 and 97 during the three Tests in Asia.
Captain Steve Waugh was still churning out the runs, while McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist were dominating the world scene, and were hoping to do exactly the same in England. A young Lee added extreme pace to the bowling attack, while Jason Gillespie was in the prime of his career.
The dominance and sheer ruthlessness of this Australian side eventually shone through, taking the series with a 4-1 scoreline. It was the last time England lost an Ashes series on home soil, and arguably the last time such a powerful side arrived on English shores.
