The 2025/26 Ashes is just around the corner as one of the world’s greatest sporting rivalries resumes.England versus Australia in the Test cricket is one of the most special events around.The Ashes has been firmly Australia’s for some timeGetty It’s a rivalry that has grown each series, and when The Ashes is on, hundreds of millions around the world tune in.And with something that is so passionate and fiery, a number of iconic sporting moments have taken place down the years.So, here is talkSPORT.com’s run down of the ten greatest Ashes Tests in chronological order.1. 1882 series, The Oval – Australia beat England by eight runsAll great rivalries need a beginning, and so it was in 1882 at The Oval in London that The Ashes began.England were unbeaten at home up until that point, and they were set just 85 to win, but the Aussies had other ideas.Their fast bowler Fred Spofforth took 7-44 to bowl the hosts out for just 77, and The Sporting Times said: “In affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at the Oval on 29 August 1882. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”England Test captain Ivo Bligh then swore that he would return from Down Under with ‘The Ashes’, and so, a rivalry was born.2. 1932-33 series, Adelaide Oval – England won by 338 runsThis Test has become known as the ‘Bodyline’ one for the tactics deployed by England.In an effort to stop legendary Don Bradman, the tourists decided to unleash a barrage of short-pitched bowling.The aim was to rough up the batters and have fielders in close, and it worked as England crushed their opponents.However, it proved to be very controversial, with Australia making an official complaint to the MCC about England’s tactics, and the rivalry increased.Bradman is probably the greatest Ashes player ever3. 1948 series, Headingley – Australia won by seven wicketsBradman’s career at the top was coming to an end when his ‘Invincibles’ Australia side toured England.In this Test, they were set a target of 404 to chase down, which at that point, had never been done in England.The hosts were confident, but it wasn’t even close in the end as Bradman scored an unbeaten 173 and was partnered by Arthur Morris, who grabbed 182 as the visitors claimed victory.The fact it was by seven wickets cemented Australia’s dominance.4. 1981 series, Headingley – England won by 18 runsThe 1981 home series for England is largely seen as Ian Botham’s crowning moment.But it was his performance at Headingley that stands out most, given the hosts had to follow-on after a shambolic first innings.At one point, they were given odds of 500-1 to win, but Botham scored an unbeaten 149 from just 148 balls to ensure that England set Australia a target of 130, which they failed to get.And for Darren Gough, Botham’s innings made this a standout TestSpeaking exclusively to talkSPORT.com, he said: “1981 was special purely because that got me into wanting to be a cricketer. Ian Botham was absolutely outstanding, with ball and bat.“Headingley, the heroics there. 149 not out, and then England bowled them out, with Bob Willis taking the wickets.“I think Beefy’s performance in 81 was a big part of me growing up. I was 11, so those early Tests are the biggest memories.”Botham produced an inspired inningsGetty5. 1993 series, Old Trafford – Australia won by 179 runsThis Test is known for one massive reason involving one of the greatest cricket players ever – Shane Warne.Warne was an untested and unused leg spinner when it came to Ashes, with this being his first ball ever in the contest.He then produced a stunning delivery that left England’s Mike Gatting bewildered, and became known as the ‘Ball of the Century‘.But it wasn’t just a flash in the pan as Warne inspired Australia to victory by taking seven more wickets, and what a way to introduce yourself to this rivalry.And on Hawksbee and Jacobs, Phil Tufnell recalled the moment.He said: “I played in the game, the ‘Ball of the Century’. We bowled first and got them out for about 300, and there was just a little portable telly on the wall, and we didn’t have any DVDs or any analysis on this guy.“He didn’t have a great start to his career as he got smacked around by Sri Lanka and India, so he didn’t really come up in the team meeting, and I can remember someone saying, ‘let’s have a look at this bloke.’“And we are all like, ‘oh, he won’t be any good. He’ll give us a couple of short ones. He won’t be very accurate.’“So, we are all sitting there, and this is his first ball in The Ashes, he’d never played an Ashes.“In essence, it was a loosener, and he’s bowled this ball, and it was just stunned silence in the dressing room.”6. 2005 series, Edgbaston – England won by two runsNow, we are into the 2005 series, which is widely seen as the greatest in Test history, and there were several crackers.The standout tie saw England beat Australia by two runs at Edgbaston to level the series at 1-1, with Steve Harmison getting the last wicket.Having been set a target of 282 by England, Australia looked to be in deep trouble at 175-8, but a stunning last stand from Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz looked to be enough for Australia to win and take a 2-0 lead.But with time running out, Harmison managed to remove Kasprowicz to leave Lee needing to be consoled by Andrew Flintoff.This has become one of the most iconic pictures in sportAFP7. 2005 series, The Oval – drawWith England leading the series 2-1 heading into the final Test, a draw was all they needed to win The Ashes.But at one point in their second innings, it didn’t look too good with the hosts in a bit of trouble at 67-3 when Kevin Pietersen entered.From there, the middle-order batter smashed 158 off 187 balls, including seven sixes before Matthew Hoggard and Ashley Giles defended everything Australia could throw at England. In the end, they got Giles out, but there wasn’t enough time for Australia to try and chase down 342, and the match was declared a draw, meaning England reclaimed the urn.And Harmison told talkSPORT.com that is the best Test match he’s ever been involved in.He said: “Coming off the field at The Oval, as much as Edgbaston meant everything with getting the last wicket, to see Kevin bat the way he batted [was special].“The celebration on the field was something I don’t think you would ever be able to replicate.”The 2005 series ended brilliantly for EnglandAFP8. 2010/11 series, MCG – England won by an innings and 157 runsIt’s not very often that England have won so convincingly in Australia, but at the MCG Boxing Day Test during the 2010/11 series, that is exactly what happened.The hosts were bowled out for 98, with James Anderson and Chris Tremlett ripping through the Aussies.That set it up perfectly for England’s batters, and led by Jonathan Trott’s magnificent 168, the visitors racked up a score of 513.That meant Australia had to score over 400 runs just to reach parity, and they didn’t even get close, with England bowling them out for 258 to claim a huge win on the way to a 3-1 series victory.9. 2019 series, Headingley – England won by one wicketBen Stokes has delivered some clutch moments for England, but none more so than this to keep the 2019 Ashes alive.After being bowled out for just 67 in the first innings, Australia set England a total of 359, and despite decent contributions from Joe Root and Joe Denly, England were 286-9 when Jack Leach came to the crease.What followed was one of the best batting displays you will ever see, and a total collapse from Australia, who missed a run out and burned through reviews in desperation.Of the final wicket stand, Leach scored one and Stokes got the rest, and he won the Test with a brutal cut for four to end on 135 not out and to make himself an England icon.Stokes’ innings is one of the greatest, given the circumstancesAFP10. 2023 series , Edgbaston – Australia won by two wicketsThis Test was the perfect start to the 2023 series as ‘Bazball’ came up against old-fashioned Test cricket.Bazball made an incredible start as Zak Crawley slammed the very first ball from Pat Cummins to the fence for four before England declared at the close of play on day one on 393/8.Unfortunately, Australia ground their way to 386 before being set a total of 281, which they managed to achieve thanks to Cummins and Nathan Lyon.And from there, the series didn’t disappoint as England came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.Crawley’s opening four locked everyone inGettyFor more Ashes build-up, head to talkSPORT’s Cricket YouTube channel.