Don Bradman, Jack Hobbs headline list for most fifty-plus scores in Ashes

Former Australia cricketer Sir Don Bradman has the most fifty-plus scores in Ashes history. 

Having made his Test debut against England in Brisbane in November 1928, Bradman ended his legendary career with 31 fifty-plus scores in Ashes history.  He registered 19 centuries - which is the most number of hundreds in Ashes. Apart from 19 tons, Bradman slammed 12 fifties in Ashes history.

Widely acknowledged as the greatest batter of all time, Bradman also holds the record for the most runs in Ashes. The right-handed batter amassed 5,028 runs in 37 Ashes Tests at an impressive average of 89.78.

Bradman was also the first cricketer to smash a triple hundred in the Ashes. He scored 334 at the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, England. Interestingly, the Australian great scored 309 of those runs in one day’s play, and remains the only Test cricketer to do so. 

The New South Wales-born cricketer later repeated the feat as he hammered his second triple hundred at the same venue in 1934.

Ex-England cricketer Jack Hobbs is second on the list for most fifty-plus scores in Ashes. Between 1908 and 1930, Hobbs recorded 27 fifty-plus scores, including 12 hundreds and 15 fifties to his name.

The prolific England batter scored 3,636 runs in 41 Ashes Tests at an average of 54.26. 

Former Australia captain Allan Border is third on the list. The left-hander registered 26 fifty-plus scores in Ashes history. 

Having made his Ashes debut in 1978, Border finished his illustrious Test career with seven hundreds and 19 fifties in the series history. He accumulated 3,222 runs in 42 Ashes Tests at an average of 42.59.

England’s Herbert Sutcliffe and Steve Waugh complete the top five list for most fifty-plus scores in Ashes history. 

Both Herbert Sutcliffe and Steve Waugh recorded 24 fifty-plus scores in Ashes history.

Between 1924 and 1934, Sutcliffe scored 2,741 runs in 27 Ashes Tests with eight hundreds and 16 fifties to his name.

On the other hand, Waugh amassed 3,173 runs in 45 Ashes Tests. He hit 10 tons and 14 half-centuries in Ashes between 1986 and 2003.

Among active cricketers, Australia’s Steve Smith has the most fifty-plus scores in Ashes.

The Australian talisman has registered 22 fifty-plus scores in Ashes, including smashing 11 hundreds and 11 fifties. The right-handed batter has scored 3,044 runs in 32 Ashes Tests so far.

Most fifty-plus scores in Ashes

Photo credit: Alamy