The Ashes

Archie Mac | 8:32am BST 10 May 2026

Published: 2025
Pages: 237
Author: Browning, Mark
Publisher: Wilkinson Publishing
Rating: 4 stars

The bi-line for this book is, “a front row seat to an iconic era of cricket in the ‘60s”. For those that know their Ashes history, the sixties are considered the most sombre period of the game. This was mostly true for all international cricket of the era, but especially the Ashes.

The main period covered in the book encompasses the five Ashes series between 1962/63 to 1970/71. While the last is clearly not in the sixties, it was the last series that featured the attritional tactics that defined this era. Of the 27 Tests played, 18, or just under 67%, failed to reach a conclusion.

With the above stats it is not surprising that few historians have devoted a book to this period. Enter, author Mark Browning. It seems Browning had his schoolboy cricket enlightening moment in this era. He kept scrapbooks, idolised the players, and devoured cricketing publications. While most tend to look back on their favourite era with rose coloured glasses, Browning has no qualms in calling out the negatives. He criticises the safety first strategy employed in the Ashes of the period. These were basically make sure you can’t lose and then go for the win. The strategy was – win the toss, bat for at least two days, and then, if possible, enforce the follow on. What usually happened though was you ran out of time and the opposition held on for a draw.   

So prevalent were the negative tactics employed by all of the Ashes captains that many in the media, including former players, called for the Ashes to be abolished. It was felt this would encourage more attacking cricket, similar to that played by the dominant team of the period, the West Indies. No sporting declarations or attacking fields, this was the Ashes mantra, no quarter expected or given. Meanwhile the fans suffered through scoring rates of around two runs an over, and often less.

Browning spoke to many of the combatants, mainly Australian players, and surprisingly they didn’t see the slow scoring as an issue. Instead they opined the cricket was of a high standard, keenly contested and akin to battle. Unfortunately, the crowd numbers do not indicate that the public agreed. Browning informs that in each subsequent series the crowd numbers decreased. The fans did not return until finally the players’ attitude changed. This turnaround began with the 1972 series, in which the brash Ian Chappell takes on the hegemony role. The 1972 series which finished in a thrilling two all result is briefly covered at the end of the book.

Browning not only dissects each series, he also provides a narrative of his own Ashes journey. By cleverly comparing the short back and sides’ cricketers of the ‘60s with the longhaired Beatles he is able to place the Ashes in contemporary society. Further, he is more than happy to compare the evolution of the game by fast forwarding to the Ashes series of the modern era.

One aspect of the book the bibliophile with enjoy is the commentary of the pre and post tour books. While we accept that the tour book* is no longer popular, it was surprising to find out just how much they had dropped off in the late ‘60s early ‘70s. For the 1970/71 series only one post tour book was written. Surprisingly, considering England won their first Ashes series in 15 years, that book was penned by Australian R.S. Whitington. His thoughts on the series can be garnished from the book’s title; Captains Outrageous?

This book will bring back memories for those that recall watching the Ashes in black and white, or the ABC crossing to the weather when Greg Chappell was about to score his debut ton, or having to stay up to watch the Ashes from England, only to lose connection and have to rely on the radio coverage. If you don’t remember those frustrations you can now, by reading Mark Browning’s superb book, experience what it was like back in the day.      

*In modern times the retrospective tour book is more popular than the contemporary version. Just in the last couple of years we have seen some quality Ashes tour books. Many reviews can be found on Cricket Web, including series for 1926, 1961, 1964, 1972 and 1974/75.