England travelled to Australia in the winter of 1911/12 and returned home with the Ashes, unaware that it would be the last time they were to set foot on Australian soil for almost a decade.
The tour though did not start so well, with a heavy defeat in the first Test in Sydney. Australia, batting after winning the toss, made 447, Victor Trumper making 113, Roy Minnett 90, and Warwick Armstrong 60. In reply, England made 318, ‘Young Jack’ Hearne top-scoring with 76, while Jack Hobbs contributed 63.
Australia then increased their lead by making 308 in the second innings, Charles Kellaway with 70, and captain Clem Hill 65. Set 492, George Gunn made 62, but England were dismissed for 291, losing by 146 runs.
The English though hit back strongly in the second Test at the MCG in Melbourne. Again Australia batted first, but this time they were restricted to 184, despite 43 from Vernon Ransford, Sydney Barnes taking 5-44.
A century from Hearne helped them take a first-innings lead. They totalled 265, and then, second time round, despite 90 from Armstrong, they bowled out their opponents for 299.
That made they needed 219 to win, but they reached their target with 8 wickets to spare. Hobbs with an unbeaten 126.
And the tourists took the lead with another dominant performance in the third Test, in Adelaide. The win was built on bowling out Australia cheaply in their first innings, dismissed for just 133, Frank Foster with 5-36.
In reply England piled on the runs, making 501, with Hobbs scoring 187 of them, Foster 71, and Wilfred Rhodes 59. Australia did much better second time round, compiling 476, Hill with 98, Sammy Carter 72, and Warren Bardsley 63. That left England requiring 109 to win a target they reached for the loss of seven wickets.
England wrapped up the series and confirmed that the Ashes would be heading back to England in the fourth Test back in Melbourne.
Again, Australia put themselves on the back foot with a disappointing first-innings batting performance, all out for 191, despite 56 from Roy Minnett. Barnes took 5-74.
The England opening pair of Hobbs and Rhodes then shared a stand of 323, before Hobbs was out for 178. Rhodes made 179 and Gunn 75 as England compiled 589.
They then dismissed Australia in their second innings for 173, Johnny Douglas taking 5-46, as the tourists won by an innings and 225 runs.
For good measure, England won the fifth Test, played in Sydney as well.
This time they batted first, and made 324, in large part due to Frank Woolley’s unbeaten 133. In reply, Australia were all out for 176, giving the visitors a first-innings lead. That was extended when they scored 214 second time round, Gunn leading the way with his 61.
Australia were set 292 to win, but, despite Minnett, who also scored 61, they were all out for 292. England won by 70 runs.