The Ashes is a crucible that makes or breaks legends, but who are the finest run-scorers in the greatest series of all?
First played in the 1880s, Ashes records are some of the oldest in sport. The players with the most Ashes runs have enjoyed considerable success across multiple series in varying conditions.
Inevitably, these players have been part of victorious teams, often enjoying periods of dominance in Test cricket’s most historic rivalry.
RadioTimes.com brings you the five leading run scorers in Ashes history.
Most runs scored in The Ashes
5. Steve Smith – 3,044 runs
Initially in the team as a leg-spinning all-rounder, Steve Smith was a quirky cricketer and curious selection. Within a few years, Smith had become arguably the best Test batter of his generation, despite his unorthodox technique.
Smith has exceptional hand-eye coordination. He is obsessed with batting, combining old-school resilience with the modern range of shots. While not the prettiest batter to watch, Smith’s record speaks for itself, and he has provoked headaches for England bowlers throughout several Ashes series.
4. Steve Waugh – 3,143 runs
Only Syd Gregory played in more Ashes Tests than Steve Waugh. Talismanic and ruthless as a captain, Waugh is the most successful skipper in modern Test history, leading two Ashes series wins, and claiming eight victories from nine Ashes matches as captain.
As a batter, Waugh was very aggressive in his early days, but became more effective later in his career. A long-term back issue restricted the shots available to him at times, yet he remained incredibly imposing against both pace and spin bowlers.
His Test average of around 51 was impressive, and he exceeded that in Ashes play with a mark of over 58.
3. Allan Border – 3,222 runs
Captaining 28 Ashes Tests (six more than anyone else), Allan Border brought in a new era of Australian cricket. Border was a fierce warrior, averaging 55.55 in Ashes matches, and he instilled a hard-nosed attitude into the Australian team which they built on after his retirement to dominate the Test arena.
A compact and in some ways limited batter, Border was not pleasing on the eye, and had an Ashes strike rate of under 43. He was stubborn, however, and very rarely gave his wicket away.
2. Jack Hobbs – 3,636 runs
Playing 41 Ashes Tests between 1908 and 1930, Jack Hobbs amassed 3,636 runs against Australia, making him the only Englishman in the top five Ashes run scorers. Hobbs notched 12 Ashes centuries, and was widely considered the best player of his era.
Able to score around the ground, and with the technique to survive even in the most challenging conditions, Hobbs was one of the earliest cricketing stars. He was not necessarily the most elegant, but many have noted his quiet confidence and adaptability.
1. Don Bradman – 5,028 runs
Accepted as the greatest batter in the history of the sport, Don Bradman averaged a shade under 90 in Ashes Tests, with a high score of 334. He was so dominant in 1930, scoring 974 runs in the series, that England adopted Bodyline for the 1932-33 tour, prompting further ill-feeling between the two teams.
Bradman averaged only 56.57 in eight innings in the series, but he was back to his unstoppable best when Australia returned to England in 1934. England had no answer for Bradman’s brilliance throughout his career.
His run tally in Ashes cricket is far clear of anyone else, and it’s one of Bradman’s many records which look unbreakable.
Read more: Best cricket players in the world 2023 | Best cricket players of all time | Highest wicket takers in Test cricket
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