The 1899 Ashes was the first Test series in England to consist of five matches rather than three. Australia, captained by Joe Darling on his first tour as skipper, won the only match decided — the second Test at Lord's by 10 wickets — and drew the other four to take the series 1-0. It was Australia's first Ashes win on English soil since 1882, and the launch series for Victor Trumper, Monty Noble, Hugh Trumble at his peak and Ernie Jones.
The Australians arrived in England in early May 1899. Trumper, an unknown 21-year-old, was a controversial inclusion; Darling had insisted on him over selectorial doubts. The first Test, Grace's last, was a quiet draw.
By the 1898-99 winter, Australian cricket had reorganised. The new captain was Joe Darling, the South Australian left-hander, chosen by his teammates. He inherited a side that combined experienced bowlers (Trumble, Jones, Howell) with emerging batting talent (Trumper, Hill, Noble). The 1899 tour was Australia's first five-Test series in England — the calendar expansion reflecting cricket's commercial growth.
The first Test at Trent Bridge (1-3 June 1899) was W.G. Grace's last Test (see entry); it was drawn. The second at Lord's (15-17 June) was decisive: Trumper made 135 not out, Hill 135, Australia 421, Ernie Jones took 7 for 88 and 3 for 76, and Australia won by ten wickets.
The remaining three Tests — Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval — were all drawn. England, captained by Archie MacLaren after Grace's resignation, came close at Headingley (Australia held on at 224 for 7 chasing 221) but the rain and a flat Old Trafford pitch, plus disciplined Australian batting at The Oval (Trumble 56, Hill 76), kept the series safe.
Australia lost only three of 35 first-class matches across the whole tour and won 16. Wisden's 1900 Almanack named Darling 'one of the very best captains that ever took a team into the field' and called the side 'the strongest combination from the Colonies since 1882'.
May 1899: Tour opens; Trumper averages over 60 in early county matches.
1-3 June 1899: First Test, Trent Bridge. Drawn. Grace's final Test.
15-17 June 1899: Second Test, Lord's. Trumper 135*, Hill 135, Jones 10/164. Australia win by 10 wickets.
29 June - 1 July: Third Test, Headingley. Drawn (Australia 224/7 chasing 221).
17-19 July: Fourth Test, Old Trafford. Drawn (rain).
14-16 August: Fifth Test, The Oval. Drawn.
Australia win series 1-0; first Ashes win in England since 1882.
Late 1898
Darling elected Australian captain.
May 1899
Tour begins.
1-3 June 1899
First Test, Trent Bridge. Drawn (Grace's last).
15-17 June 1899
Second Test, Lord's. Australia win by 10 wickets.
Aug 1899
Series concludes 1-0; Australia regain Ashes in England.
“Darling proved himself one of the very best captains that ever took a team into the field.”
“The strongest combination from the Colonies since 1882.”
The series in which Australia regained the Ashes in England for the first time in seventeen years and a new generation — Trumper, Hill, Noble, Darling — formally took over. The five-Test format was here to stay.
The 1899 series broke the seventeen-year drought of Australian Ashes wins in England, ushered in the five-Test format that has been the standard ever since, and launched the careers of Trumper, Hill and Noble — the spine of Australian batting through to 1912. Darling's captaincy model — players elected, peer-led, selectorially independent — became a Cricket Australia template.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.