From Bodyline to Sledging: The 5 Most Controversial Ashes Moments

The Ashes will soon be contested again by Australia and England, beginning with the first Test match in Perth starting from 21 November 2023. It is anticipated that Australia will prevail, however, injuries within the Australian camp provide some measure of optimism for England ahead of the series.

Historically, the Ashes have produced memorable moments from both teams, but they have also resulted in many contentious incidents. Here are five of the most controversial occurrences during the series.

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Australia Founded: 1877

The Australian cricket team is the joint oldest team in Test cricket history and has a tremendous record in one-dayers, having won more than 60% of the matches they have played.

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England Founded: 1739

England is regarded as the birthplace of cricket and has won the Ashes 32 times.

The Bodyline Surprise

The Bodyline series is among the most well-known controversies in the Ashes. It was devised by England Captain Douglas Jardine as a way of stopping Sir Don Bradman from accumulating runs during the 1932-33 England tour of Australia. One way to accomplish this goal was for England’s fast bowlers to bowl short balls directed toward the bodies of batters so that they would hit the ball defensively (and therefore, have a higher chance of being caught by fielders who were positioned close to the leg side). Although the rules allowed for this type of bowling at that time, there were many who considered it to be an unsafe and unjust tactic.

Jonny Bairstow Dismissed by Stumping at Lord’s

During one of the more dramatic moments in recent Ashes history, Jonny Bairstow was stumped by Alex Carey in what many viewed as a controversial manner after stepping out of his crease following an over. Carey had caught the ball on the bounce and immediately threw it to the stumps while Bairstow was under the impression that the ball was 'dead'.

The third umpire ultimately ruled that the dismissal was legitimate. This incident sparked widespread debate about the 'Spirit of Cricket', resulted in multiple instances of booing from the crowd at Lord's, and resulted in highly charged exchanges both on and off the field.

Moeen Ali Speaks Out on Racist Remark

During the 2015 Ashes series, Test cricket specialist Moeen Ali revealed a shocking incident involving a racist remark made about him by an opposing player, when he is quoted as saying that "an Australian called him Osama" following the first test played in Cardiff. After delivering an outstanding performance scoring 77 runs in his first innings of that match and being the leading wicket-taker with five wickets to help secure an England victory by 169 runs over Australia, Moeen reported that he raised this comment later in the series, but the player denied making such a remark claiming he has several Muslim friends.

Tim Paine’s texting scandal

Just 19 days before the 2021–22 Ashes, Australian cricket was shaken when captain Tim Paine stepped down after explicit text messages he sent to a female colleague in 2017 resurfaced. Though previously investigated, the controversy re-emerged publicly, prompting Paine’s resignation. The scandal overshadowed the lead-up to the series and raised questions about leadership accountability and Cricket Australia's handling of the incident.

Michael Clarke Targets James Anderson

Michael Clarke’s famous stump-mic warning to James Anderson during the first Test in Brisbane, “Get ready for a broken arm”, remains one of the most shocking moments in Ashes history. The comment, made during a tense final spell, made headlines around the world. It also sparked debates about how far sledging should go and set the tone for one of the fiercest and most hostile Ashes series ever.

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by Dwijesh December 1, 2025