1990–91 Ashes series

Infobox cricket series
series= 1990-91 Ashes Series
partof= the English cricket team in Australia in 1990-91
date= 23 November, 1990 - 5 February, 1991
place= Australia
result= Australia won the 5-Test series 3-0
team1= flag|Australia
team2= flag|England
captain1= Allan Border
captain2= Allan Lamb (stand-in)
Graham Gooch
runs1= David Boon (530) Greg Matthews (353) Geoff Marsh (314)
runs2= Graham Gooch (426) David Gower (407) Mike Atherton (279)
wickets1= Bruce Reid (27) Craig McDermott (18) Terry Alderman (16)
wickets2= Devon Malcolm (16) Angus Fraser (11) Phil DeFreitas (10)The England cricket team toured Australia in the 1990-91 season to play a five-match Test series against Australia for The Ashes. The Australians were the holders, having reclaimed the Ashes in England during the 1989 Ashes series, however the 1986-87 Ashes series, which was the previous series in Australia had been won by England. The English tourists were confident their home series loss in 1989 had been an blemish and that they were more that capable of reclaiming the Ashes 'down under'. The tourists were seemingly well prepared. During their home summer they had 1-0 victories in 3-test series against both India and New Zealand, and had played well in their warm-up matches.

However the Australians, led by the authoritative Allan Border were in a ruthless mood. They had home series victories against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but had lost a one-off test to New Zealand since the 1989 Ashes series victory, and Border and his men were determined to defend the trophy. The Australians came out aggressively from the start, and combined with moments of bad-luck for the tourists, proved too much pressure for the England side to handle. The five test series was won 3-0 by Australia.

Test matches

First Test (23-25 November)

First Class Matches
batting first

batting first = England
first innings score of first team = 194
overs in first innings of first team = 78
Highest scorer for first innings of first team = David Gower
Highest scorer for first innings of first team initial form = D.I. Gower
Highest score for first innings of first team = 61
Highest score for first innings of first team balls faced = 162
Best bowler in first innings of first team = Bruce Reid
Best bowler in first innings of first team initial form = B.A. Reid
Best bowler in first innings of first team figures = 4/53

second innings score of first team = 114
overs in second innings of first team = 53.1
Highest scorer for second innings of first team = David Gower
Highest scorer for second innings of first team initial form = D.I. Gower
Highest score for second innings of first team = 27
Highest score for second innings of first team balls faced = 63
Best bowler in second innings of first team = Terry Alderman
Best bowler in second innings of first team initial form = T.M. Alderman
Best bowler in second innings of first team figures = 6/47

batting second

batting second = Australia
first innings score of second team = 152
overs in first innings of second team = 63
Highest scorer for first innings of second team = Greg Matthews
Highest scorer for first innings of second team initial form = G.R.J. Matthews
Highest score for first innings of second team = 35
Highest score for first innings of second team balls faced = 127
Best bowler in first innings of second team = Chris Lewis
Best bowler in first innings of second team initial form = C.C. Lewis
Best bowler in first innings of second team figures = 3/29

second innings score of second team = 157/0
overs in second innings of second team = 120.2
Highest scorer for second innings of second team = Geoff Marsh
Highest scorer for second innings of second team initial form = G.R. Marsh
Highest score for second innings of second team = 72*
Highest score for second innings of second team balls faced = 198
Best bowler in second innings of second team =
Best bowler in second innings of second team initial form =
Best bowler in second innings of second team figures =

other result= true
result = Australia won by 10 wickets [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1990-91/ENG_IN_AUS/ENG_AUS_T1_23-25NOV1990.html] , from Cricinfo, retrieved 10 July 2008]
stadium = Gabba
city = Brisbane
country = Australia
umpire1 = Tony Crafter
umpire1 initial form = A.R. Crafter
umpire1 country = Australia
umpire1 country short form = Aus
umpire2 = Peter McConnell
umpire2 initial form = P.J. McConnell
umpire2 country = Australia
umpire2 country short form = Aus
MOTM = Terry Alderman
MOTM initial form = T.M. Alderman
MOTM country = Australia
MOTM ctry short form = Aus

* Australia lead the five test series 1-0.

econd Test (26-30 December)

First Class Matches
batting first

batting first = England
first innings score of first team = 352
overs in first innings of first team = 131.4
Highest scorer for first innings of first team = David Gower
Highest scorer for first innings of first team initial form = D.I. Gower
Highest score for first innings of first team = 100
Highest score for first innings of first team balls faced = 170
Best bowler in first innings of first team = Bruce Reid
Best bowler in first innings of first team initial form = B.A. Reid
Best bowler in first innings of first team figures = 6/97

second innings score of first team = 150
overs in second innings of first team = 73
Highest scorer for second innings of first team = Graham Gooch
Highest scorer for second innings of first team initial form = G.A. Gooch
Highest score for second innings of first team = 58
Highest score for second innings of first team balls faced = 116
Best bowler in second innings of first team = Bruce Reid
Best bowler in second innings of first team initial form = B.A. Reid
Best bowler in second innings of first team figures = 7/51

batting second

batting second = Australia
first innings score of second team = 306
overs in first innings of second team = 112.5
Highest scorer for first innings of second team = Allan Border
Highest scorer for first innings of second team initial form = A.R. Border
Highest score for first innings of second team = 62
Highest score for first innings of second team balls faced = 164
Best bowler in first innings of second team = Angus Fraser
Best bowler in first innings of second team initial form = A.R.C. Fraser
Best bowler in first innings of second team figures = 6/82

second innings score of second team = 197/2
overs in second innings of second team = 86
Highest scorer for second innings of second team = Geoff Marsh
Highest scorer for second innings of second team initial form = G.R. Marsh
Highest score for second innings of second team = 79*
Highest score for second innings of second team balls faced = 257
Best bowler in second innings of second team = Angus Fraser
Best bowler in second innings of second team initial form = A.R.C. Fraser
Best bowler in second innings of second team figures = 1/33

other result= true
result = Australia won by 8 wickets [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1990-91/ENG_IN_AUS/ENG_AUS_T2_26-30DEC1990.html] , from Cricinfo, retrieved 11 July 2008]
stadium = Melbourne Cricket Ground
city = Melbourne
country = Australia
umpire1 = Tony Crafter
umpire1 initial form = A.R. Crafter
umpire1 country = Australia
umpire1 country short form = Aus
umpire2 = Peter McConnell
umpire2 initial form = P.J. McConnell
umpire2 country = Australia
umpire2 country short form = Aus
MOTM = Bruce Reid
MOTM initial form = B.A. Reid
MOTM country = Australia
MOTM ctry short form = Aus

* Australia lead the five test series 2-0.

Third Test (4-8 January)

First Class Matches
batting first

batting first = Australia
first innings score of first team = 518
overs in first innings of first team = 157
Highest scorer for first innings of first team = Greg Matthews
Highest scorer for first innings of first team initial form = G.R.J. Matthews
Highest score for first innings of first team = 128
Highest score for first innings of first team balls faced = 175
Best bowler in first innings of first team = Devon Malcolm
Best bowler in first innings of first team initial form = D.E. Malcolm
Best bowler in first innings of first team figures = 4/106

second innings score of first team = 205
overs in second innings of first team = 89
Highest scorer for second innings of first team = Ian Healy
Highest scorer for second innings of first team initial form = I.A. Healy
Highest score for second innings of first team = 69
Highest score for second innings of first team balls faced = 160
Best bowler in second innings of first team = Phil Tufnell
Best bowler in second innings of first team initial form = P.C.R. Tufnell
Best bowler in second innings of first team figures = 5/61

batting second

batting second = England
first innings score of second team = 469/8 d
overs in first innings of second team = 172.1
Highest scorer for first innings of second team = David Gower
Highest scorer for first innings of second team initial form = D.I. Gower
Highest score for first innings of second team = 123
Highest score for first innings of second team balls faced = 236
Best bowler in first innings of second team = Terry Alderman
Best bowler in first innings of second team initial form = T.M. Alderman
Best bowler in first innings of second team figures = 3/62

second innings score of second team = 113/4
overs in second innings of second team = 25
Highest scorer for second innings of second team = Graham Gooch
Highest scorer for second innings of second team initial form = G.A. Gooch
Highest score for second innings of second team = 54
Highest score for second innings of second team balls faced = 42
Best bowler in second innings of second team = Greg Matthews
Best bowler in second innings of second team initial form = G.R.J. matthews
Best bowler in second innings of second team figures = 2/26

other result= true
result = Drawn [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1990-91/ENG_IN_AUS/ENG_AUS_T3_04-08JAN1991.html] , from Cricinfo, retrieved 11 July 2008]
stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground
city = Sydney
country = Australia
umpire1 = Tony Crafter
umpire1 initial form = A.R. Crafter
umpire1 country = Australia
umpire1 country short form = Aus
umpire2 = Peter McConnell
umpire2 initial form = P.J. McConnell
umpire2 country = Australia
umpire2 country short form = Aus
MOTM = Michael Atherton
MOTM initial form = M.A. Atherton
MOTM country = England
MOTM ctry short form = Eng
Australia lead the five test series 2-0.

FourthTest (25-29 January)

First Class Matches
batting first

batting first = Australia
first innings score of first team = 386
overs in first innings of first team = 135.2
Highest scorer for first innings of first team = Mark Waugh
Highest scorer for first innings of first team initial form = M.E. Waugh
Highest score for first innings of first team = 138
Highest score for first innings of first team balls faced = 188
Best bowler in first innings of first team = Phil Defreitas
Best bowler in first innings of first team initial form = P.A.J. Defreitas
Best bowler in first innings of first team figures = 4/56

second innings score of first team = 314/6 d
overs in second innings of first team = 104
Highest scorer for second innings of first team = David Boon
Highest scorer for second innings of first team initial form = D.C. Boon
Highest score for second innings of first team = 121
Highest score for second innings of first team balls faced = 277
Best bowler in second innings of first team = Phil Tufnell
Best bowler in second innings of first team initial form = P.C.R. Tufnell
Best bowler in second innings of first team figures = 1/28

batting second

batting second = England
first innings score of second team = 229
overs in first innings of second team = 81.3
Highest scorer for first innings of second team = Graham Gooch
Highest scorer for first innings of second team initial form = G.A. Gooch
Highest score for first innings of second team = 87
Highest score for first innings of second team balls faced = 197
Best bowler in first innings of second team = Craig McDermott
Best bowler in first innings of second team initial form = C.J. McDermott
Best bowler in first innings of second team figures = 5/97

second innings score of second team = 335/5
overs in second innings of second team = 96
Highest scorer for second innings of second team = Graham Gooch
Highest scorer for second innings of second team initial form = G.A. Gooch
Highest score for second innings of second team = 117
Highest score for second innings of second team balls faced = 188
Best bowler in second innings of second team = Bruce Reid
Best bowler in second innings of second team initial form = B.A. Reid
Best bowler in second innings of second team figures = 2/59

other result= true
result = Drawn [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1990-91/ENG_IN_AUS/ENG_AUS_T4_25-29JAN1991.html] , from Cricinfo, retrieved 11 July 2008]
stadium = Adelaide Oval
city = Adelaide
country = Australia
umpire1 = Leonard King
umpire1 initial form = L.J. King
umpire1 country = Australia
umpire1 country short form = Aus
umpire2 = Terry Prue
umpire2 initial form = T.A. Prue
umpire2 country = Australia
umpire2 country short form = Aus
MOTM = Graham Gooch
MOTM initial form = G.A. Gooch
MOTM country = England
MOTM ctry short form = Eng

* Australia lead the five test series 2-0.

Fifth Test (1-5 February)

First Class Matches
batting first

batting first = England
first innings score of first team = 244
overs in first innings of first team = 66.4
Highest scorer for first innings of first team = Allan Lamb
Highest scorer for first innings of first team initial form = A.J. Lamb
Highest score for first innings of first team = 91
Highest score for first innings of first team balls faced = 122
Best bowler in first innings of first team = Craig McDermott
Best bowler in first innings of first team initial form = C.J. McDermott
Best bowler in first innings of first team figures = 8/97

second innings score of first team = 182
overs in second innings of first team = 61.3
Highest scorer for second innings of first team = Robin Smith (cricketer)
Highest scorer for second innings of first team initial form = R.A. Smith
Highest score for second innings of first team = 43
Highest score for second innings of first team balls faced = 70
Best bowler in second innings of first team = Merv Hughes
Best bowler in second innings of first team initial form = M.G. Hughes
Best bowler in second innings of first team figures = 4/37

batting second

batting second = Australia
first innings score of second team = 307
overs in first innings of second team = 90.5
Highest scorer for first innings of second team = David Boon
Highest scorer for first innings of second team initial form = D.C. Boon
Highest score for first innings of second team = 64
Highest score for first innings of second team balls faced = 124
Best bowler in first innings of second team = Devon Malcolm
Best bowler in first innings of second team initial form = D.E. Malcolm
Best bowler in first innings of second team figures = 3/94

second innings score of second team = 120/1
overs in second innings of second team = 31.2
Highest scorer for second innings of second team = Geoff Marsh
Highest scorer for second innings of second team initial form = G.R. Marsh
Highest score for second innings of second team = 63*
Highest score for second innings of second team balls faced = 110
Best bowler in second innings of second team = Phil Defreitas
Best bowler in second innings of second team initial form = P.A.J. Defreitas
Best bowler in second innings of second team figures = 1/29

other result= true
result = Australia won by 9 wickets [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1990-91/ENG_IN_AUS/ENG_AUS_T5_01-05FEB1991.html] , from Cricinfo, retrieved 11 July 2008]
stadium = WACA Ground
city = Perth, Western Australia!Perth
country = Australia
umpire1 = Steve Randell
umpire1 initial form = S.G. Randell
umpire1 country = Australia
umpire1 country short form = Aus
umpire2 = Col Timmins
umpire2 initial form = C.D. Timmins
umpire2 country = Australia
umpire2 country short form = Aus
MOTM = Bruce Reid
MOTM initial form = B.A. Reid
MOTM country = Australia
MOTM ctry short form = Aus

*Australia won the five test series 3-0.

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/AUS/1990-91_AUS_England_in_Australia_1990-91.html CricketArchive – tour itinerary]

Annual reviews

* Playfair Cricket Annual 1991
* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1991

Further reading

* Chris Harte, "A History of Australian Cricket", Andre Deutsch, 1993