Top 5 bowling performances in history of Ashes

Along with some of the memorable batting performances, the Ashes series has been historic thanks to some of the fiercest bowling. It’s about the moments of the game, like how you start the game, whether it’s the delivery from Steve Harmison in the second slip to start the trip or Mitchell Starc’s leg-side delivery breaking the stumps of Rory Burns around the leg. 

Over the years, several bowlers, irrespective of pacers and spinners, have provided some of the sensational bowling performances in the Ashes history. The Ashes 2025/26 series will begin on November 21 at the Optus Stadium in Perth, and before that, here is a glance at the top five best bowling performances in Ashes history.

In the list of the top five bowling performances in the Ashes history, only two spinners each from respective sides have got their chances. Jim Laker is from England who had an incredible record, while there is no race to the late great King Shane Warne. The latter was a nightmare to the England batters whether they play at home or make their trip to down under.  

Let’s take a look at the Top 5 bowling performances in history of Ashes-

1. Jim Laker (England)

The former England off-spinner, Jim Laker, was incredibly successful in his bowling against Australia in the history of the Ashes. The late spinner picked up 79 wickets in just 33 innings at an average of 18.27 and a strike rate of 50 with five five-wicket hauls and as many four-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 10/53.

Laker’s best bowling came in 1956 at the Old Trafford ground in Manchester, when in the first innings, he ended with magical figures of 9/37 in 16.4 overs as the visitors were bundled out for 84 with only two batters getting into the double figures. In the second innings, he collected 10/53 to build up the match figures of 19/90 to collect an innings and 170 run win.

2. Stuart Broad (England)

Australia will never forget the 2015 Ashes Test at Trent Bridge. It was one of those unique games where all the edges were nearly taken at the slip region or to the wicket-keeper. James Anderson was out of the clash due to injury, as the responsibility fell on the home boy, Stuart Broad, who ended with 8/15 in his 9.5 overs. Australia got bundled out for 60 in the first innings and couldn’t recover from that position to face a massive innings and 78-run defeat.

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Broad, who retired during the 2023 Ashes at the Kennington Oval in South London, is the third leading wicket-taker in Ashes history with 153 scalps at 28.96 in 74 innings at a strike rate of 54.44 with eight fifers in the format against Australia.

3. Glenn McGrath (Australia)

The former Australian pacer, Glenn McGrath, was known for putting in the hard yards in the same line and length in a handkerchief and continued to pick wickets or either drying up the runs at one end, which opens the gate of wickets falling from the other side. He is the second leading wicket-taker in Ashes history with 157 wickets at an average of 20.92 and a strike rate of 46, thanks to 10 fifers.

McGrath’s best bowling figures of 8/38 came at the iconic Lord’s Test in 1997. The home side was bundled out for 77 runs in 42.3 overs before Australia grabbed a massive lead of over 150 runs. However, the foul weather and improved batting from the home side in the second innings ended it as a draw.

4. Shane Warne (Australia) 

Over the years, Shane Warne has had several memorable bowling performances in the Ashes. The former late great leg spinner is the leading run-getter of the Ashes history with 195 wickets in just 72 innings at an average of 23.25 and a strike rate of 55.16, having 11 five-wicket hauls at the best bowling figures of 8/71 in an innings.

His best performance in the Ashes also came through a six-wicket haul, and that was in 1997 at Old Trafford in Manchester. In the first innings, Australia were bundled out for less than 250 as they needed an inspiring bowling performance, and Warne stood out. He finished with 6/48 in 30 overs as the tourists claimed a 268-run win.

5. Mitchell Starc (Australia) 

Heading into the opening Test of the five-match Ashes 2025/26 series, the pressure was on Australia's premier pacer, Mitchell Starc, in the opening clash at the Optus Stadium in Perth, especially in the absence of the two otehr experienced fast bowlers- Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Moreover, England had made several headlines by their Bazball approach.

In the first innings of the contest, the left-arm pacer picked up a breath-taking 7/58 in 12.5 overs with four maidens at an economy rate of 4.5. He terrorized the visiting batters with his pace and bounce before backing it up with anoter fine spell of 3/55 runs in 12 overs at an economy rate of nearly five with one maiden. He also won the Player of the Match award in Australia's eight-wicket victory.