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The Ashes series between Australia and England has showcased some of the best batters in the history of cricket but who has scored the most centuries in these encounters?
Most Hundreds in Ashes Series – Top 10 Centurions
Don Bradman (19 centuries)
It’s not a huge surprise to see Sir Donald Bradman’s name at the very top of the list. He is regarded by most cricket observers as the greatest batter of all time and 19 of his 29 test centuries came in Ashes series.
His highest score of 334 also came against England but it’s worth noting that Bradman’s average was slightly lower in these games. An average of 89.78 is still impressive although it’s a drop on his overall return of 99.94.
Jack Hobbs (12 centuries)
Second on the list is Jack Hobbs and, while there is a gap between the Englishman and his Australian counterpart, 12 Ashes centuries remains an impressive achievement.
Those tons came in 41 tests between 1908 and 1930 and they include a highest score of 187. Hobbs made 3636 Ashes runs in total at an average of 54.26.
Steve Smith (11 centuries)
Steve Smith is the only batter still playing at the time of writing in 2022. He therefore has a chance of climbing up the list, but Smith has his work cut out if he intends to overtake Sir Don Bradman.
By the end of the 2021/22 series in Australia, Steve Smith had scored 11 centuries in Ashes tests. Those tons include a highest score of 239 and his average stood at an impressive 59.68.
Steve Waugh (10 centuries)
Australia’s skipper through their dominant years of the mid-1990s to early 2000s, Steve Waugh also made a significant contribution with the bat. He scored ten centuries in tests between England and Australia, and they include a highest score of 177.
Waugh scored his runs at an average of 58.75 and can also include 14 half centuries in his overall list.
Wally Hammond (9 centuries)
One of the greatest English batters of all time, Wally Hammond scored nine tons in just 58 Ashes innings. He was a prolific run getter for his country between 1927 and 1947 and those nine centuries include a best of 251.
Against Australia, Hammond scored 2852 runs in total and they came at an impressive average of 51.85.
David Gower (9 centuries)
England’s David Gower will probably have mixed feelings about his performances in the Ashes. As captain of the side, he led them to an emphatic win in 1985 but presided over an embarrassing defeat four years later.
As a batsman, it was certainly an enjoyable battle for the elegant left hander. Nine of Gower’s 18 test centuries came in Ashes series. He averaged 46.01 and his highest score of 215 came in that 1985 series.
Arthur Morris (8 centuries)
A name that isn’t so familiar for casual cricket fans, Australia’s Arthur Morris saved his best performances for Ashes series. No fewer than eight of his 12 test centuries came against England.
In an international career that lasted between 1946 and 1955, Morris played in 24 Ashes test matches. Those eight tons contributed to a total of 2080 runs and included a highest score of 206.
Herbert Sutcliffe (8 centuries)
An opening partner to Jack Hobbs for many years, Herbert Sutcliffe’s own contributions with the bat shouldn’t be forgotten. He saved some of his best performances for the Ashes series and made eight centuries in 27 tests against Australia.
His highest score in the Ashes was 194 and his average of 66.85 is second only to Don Bradman for players on this list.
Greg Chappell (8 centuries)
Australia’s Greg Chappell was a stylish batter for much of the 1970s and early 1980s and he skippered the national side later on in his career. Chappell would play in 30 Ashes tests and, in 55 innings, he scored eight centuries.
Included in that list of tons was a highest score of 144 which came in the fourth test of the 1974/75 series. His total of 2154 runs came at an average of 43.95.
Ricky Ponting (8 centuries)
Ricky Ponting may have captained Australia to two rare Ashes defeats, but he remains as one of the best batters in these contests. In 35 test matches against England, Ponting scored eight centuries at an average of 44.21.
His highest score of 196 came in the first test of the 2006/07 series which laid a platform for Australia to go on and claim a 5-0 whitewash. Ponting scored 2476 Ashes runs at an average of 44.21.
Conclusion
What a great list of batters this is with some of the best players in the history of the game. Don Bradman’s position as the greatest batter in cricket is underlined by that huge gap between him and the chasing pack.
There are very few surprises in the overall list. Jack Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe and Wally Hammond were prolific English players of their time while Steve Smith, Greg Chappell and Ricky Ponting are among the Aussies who seemed to save their best for Ashes series.
The fascinating question is whether any of the current players from either side will break into the top ten. Aside from Steve Smith, no batter from recent England and Australian squads has more than three centuries so it appears that we are in for a long wait.
