Watch The Ashes 2015

The Ashes 2015 is a cricket tournament that was held in England and Wales in the summer of 2015, featuring teams from England and Australia competing for the famed Ashes trophy. The event was one of the most highly anticipated in the sporting calendar and a huge draw for cricket lovers around the world.

The Ashes is the oldest and most prestigious international cricket series in the world, with a history dating back to 1882. It is played between England and Australia over five test matches, with the winner being the team that wins three or more matches. The series is named after a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, which declared that English cricket had "died" after losing to Australia in a test match at The Oval. The obituary mourned "the body of English cricket, which was cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."

The Ashes 2015 was the 68th series of the tournament, and it took place between July and August of that year, with the first test taking place at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff. The series was tightly contested, with both teams having moments of dominance and momentum swings. The Australian team, led by Michael Clarke, had come into the series as favorites, having won the previous Ashes tournament in 2013-14. However, they were facing an English team that had recently undergone a change in leadership, with Joe Root replacing Alastair Cook as captain.

The Ashes 2015 was also notable for being the first Ashes series to feature the Decision Review System (DRS) in full operation. This technology allows teams to challenge umpiring decisions that they feel are incorrect using a limited number of reviews per innings.

The first test of the series in Cardiff was a thrilling encounter that set the tone for the rest of the series. England won the toss and chose to bat first, but they suffered an early collapse that left them reeling at 43-3. However, a brilliant century from Joe Root (134) helped to steady the ship, and England managed to post a competitive first-innings total of 430. Australia responded with 308, thanks in large part to an excellent century from Chris Rogers (95). England batted again and declared on 289-7, setting Australia a target of 412 to win. It was a tall order, and Australia ultimately fell short, with England winning the match by 169 runs.

The second test, which took place at Lord's, was another closely fought encounter. Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, but they were bowled out for just 136, with Stuart Broad taking 8-15 in a devastating spell of bowling. England responded with a total of 312, thanks to half-centuries from Joe Root and Jos Buttler. Australia fared better in their second innings, but they were still bowled out for 253, leaving England needing just 121 to win. England chased down the total with ease, winning by an impressive 347 runs.

The third test, which took place at Edgbaston, proved to be a turning point in the series. After a rain-affected first day, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first. They posted a competitive total of 264, with Steven Smith (85) top-scoring. England responded with a total of 281, with Ian Bell (53) and Joe Root (63) again contributing with the bat. However, Australia put in an impressive second innings performance, scoring 265-2 declared, with Chris Rogers (49*) and Steve Smith (78*) leading the charge. England was set a target of 121 to win, but they were bowled out for just 101, with Josh Hazlewood taking 5-38. Australia won by 8 wickets, giving them a much-needed boost in confidence.

The fourth test, which took place at Trent Bridge, was a complete whitewash for England. Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, but they were skittled out for just 60, with Stuart Broad taking another devastating spell of bowling. England then went out and scored a colossal 391, with Joe Root (130) and Jonny Bairstow (74) scoring centuries. Australia failed to recover from their disastrous first innings, scoring just 253 in their second innings. England chased down the target of 121 with ease, winning by an innings and 78 runs.

The final test of the series, which took place at The Oval, was largely a dead rubber, with England having already secured the series. Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, but they were bowled out for 481, with Steven Smith scoring a magnificent double century (215) and Chris Rogers scoring 143. England responded with 149 all out, with only Joe Root (63) offering any resistance. Australia then declared on 111-6, setting England a target of 388 to win. England never looked like chasing down the total and were eventually bowled out for 286, with Stuart Broad (25) top-scoring.

Despite losing the last test, England won the series 3-2, reclaiming the Ashes in the process. Joe Root was named player of the series, having scored 460 runs at an average of 57.50. The Ashes 2015 was a thrilling and closely contested series that will go down in cricketing history as one of the most memorable.