Ahead of the start of the first Test in Cardiff on Wednesday, cricket stats guru Mohandas Menon looks at the numbers behind cricket's greatest rivalry; The Ashes.

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Match results in Ashes series
Venue	Mts	Eng	Aus	Draw	Period
In England	158	47	46	65	1884-2013
In Australia	162	56	82	24	1882-2014
Total in Ashes	320	103	128	89	1882-2014
In non-Ashes Tests	16	2	10	4	1877-1988
Overall head to head	336	105	138	93	1882-2014

Note: Since 1877, 16 Tests have been played between the two sides that are not a part of the Ashes. The last such non-Ashes Test was the one-off Bicentenary Test match at Sydney from January 29 to February 2, 1988.

Ashes series summary since 2000
Month, Year	Country	Mts	Eng	Aus	Draw	Series won
July to Aug 2001	in Eng	5	1	4	0	Australia
Nov 2002 to Jan 2003	in Aus	5	1	4	0	Australia
July-Sep 2005	in Eng	5	2	1	2	England
Nov 2006 to Jan 2007	in Aus	5	0	5	0	Australia
July to Aug 2009	in Eng	5	2	1	2	England
Nov 2010 to Jan 2011	in Aus	5	3	1	1	England
July to Aug 2013	in Eng	5	3	0	2	England
Nov 2013 to Jan 2014	in Aus	5	0	5	0	Australia
Total		40	12	21	7

Series summary: Played 8: England won 4, Australia 4, Drawn nil

Overall Ashes series results
Venue	Series	Eng won	Aus won	Draw
In England	34	17	14	3
In Australia	34	14	18	2
Total	68	31	32	5

Notes:
** Both teams have met each other in 68 Ashes series so far, of which 34 each been played in their respective countries. Australia are just ahead, having won the series on 32 occasions compared to England’s 31, with five series drawn.
** The Australians held the urn for the longest duration, from August 22, 1934 until August 18, 1953 – nearly 19 years. This, of course, was aided by the period between 1940 and 1945, when no Tests were played because of World War II. Otherwise, the record over the longest uninterrupted period is also held by the Aussies — from 1989 to 2005 – for 16 years. Incidentally, the England team held the Ashes for the shortest period for one year and three months from September 2005 to December 2006.

Highest team totals in Ashes Tests
England
903-7d	at The Oval	Aug 1938	(Won)
658-8d	at Nottingham	June 1938	(Drawn)
644-10	at Sydney	Jan 2011	(Won)
Australia
729-6d	at Lord’s	June 1930	(Won)
701-10	at The Oval	Aug 1934	(Won)
695-10	at The Oval	Aug 1930	(Won)
Lowest team totals in Ashes Tests
England
45-10	at Sydney	Jan 1887	(Won)
52-10	at The Oval	Aug 1948	(Lost)
53-10	at Lord’s	Jul 1888	(Lost)
Australia
36-10	at Birmingham	May 1902	(Drawn)
42-10	at Sydney	Feb 1888	(Lost)
44-10	at The Oval	Aug 1896	(Lost)

Total individual 100s in Ashes Tests
Total 100s	521 (in England: 238, in Australia: 283)
By England	230 (in England: 108, in Australia: 122)
By Australia	291 (in England: 130, in Australia: 161)

Highest individual scores in Ashes Tests
England
364	by Len Hutton	at The Oval	Aug 1938	(Won)
287	by Reg Foster	at Sydney	Dec 1903	(Won)
256	by Ken Barrington	at Manchester	Jul 1964	(Drawn)
Australia
334	by Don Bradman	at Leeds	Jul 1930	(Drawn)
311	by Bob Simpson	at Manchester	Jul 1964	(Drawn)
307	by Bob Cowper	at Melbourne	Feb 1966	(Drawn)

Leading run-getters in Ashes Tests
England
3,636 by Jack Hobbs in 41 mts	71 inns	ave 54.27
3,037 by David Gower in 38 mts	69 inns	ave 46.01
2,852 by Walter Hammond in 33 mts	58 inns	ave 51.85
Most in England: 1,519 runs by Graham Gooch in 24 mts	44 inns	ave 34.52
Australia
5,028 by Don Bradman in 37 mts	63 inns	ave 89.78
3,222 by Allan Border in 42 mts	73 inns	ave 55.55
3,173 by Steve Waugh in 45 mts	72 inns	ave 58.75
Most in England: 2,674 runs by Don Bradman in 19 mts	30 inns	ave 102.84

Most individual 100s in Ashes Tests
England: 12 by Jack Hobbs	(Most in England: 5 by Stanley Jackson)
Australia: 19 by Don Bradman	(Most in England: 11 by Don Bradman)

Best bowling in an innings in Ashes Tests
England
10/53	by Jim Laker	at Manchester	Jul 1956	(Won)
9/37	by Jim Laker	at Manchester	Jul 1956	(Won)
8/35	by George Lohmann	at Sydney	Feb 1887	(Won)
Australia
9/121	by Arthur Mailey	at Melbourne	Feb 1921	(Won)
8/31	by Frank Laver	at Manchester	Jul 1909	(Drawn)
8/38	by Glenn McGrath	at Lord’s	Jun 1997	(Drawn)
Best bowling in a match in Ashes Tests
England
19/90	by Jim Laker	at Manchester	Jul 1956	(Won)
15/104	by Hedley Verity	at Lord’s	Jun 1934	(Won)
15/124	by Wilfred Rhodes	at Melbourne	Jan 1904	(Won)
Australia
16/137	by Bob Massie	at Lord’s	Jun 1972	(Won)
13/77	by Monty Noble	at Melbourne	Jan 1902	(Won)
13/148	by Bruce Reid	at Melbourne	Dec 1990	(Won)

Leading wicket-takers in Ashes Tests
England
128 by Ian Botham in 32 mts	ave 28.04
123 by Bob Willis in 31 mts	ave 24.37
109 by Wilfred Rhodes in 41 mts	ave 24.00
Most in England: 78 wickets by Ian Botham in 17 mts	ave 25.61
Australia
195 by Shane Warne in 36 mts	ave 23.25
157 by Glenn McGrath in 30 mts	ave 20.92
141 by Hugh Trumble in 31 mts	ave 20.88
Most in England: 129 wickets by Shane Warne in 22 mts	ave 21.94

Overall Test record
England
Venue	Mts	Won	Lost	Tie	Draw	%win
Home	489	200	112	0	177	40.90
Away	468	141	165	0	162	30.13
Total	957	341	277	0	339	35.63
Australia
Venue	Mts	Won	Lost	Tie	Draw	%win
Home	398	226	95	1	76	56.78
Away	377	138	110	1	128	36.60
Total	775	364	205	2	204	46.97