After the first three Tests of the series had ended in draws (the third match in Melbourne had been abandoned without a ball being bowled), England finally seized the advantage in the fourth Test match, in Sydney.
There they won the toss and batted, and led Geoff Boycott’s 70 and John Edrich’s 55, they managed to reach 332, Ashley Mallett and John Gleeson both taking four wickets each. In replay Australia were bowled out for 236, Derek Underwood taking four wickets and Ian Redpath and Doug Walters scoring half-centuries.
England then batted themselves into a potentially winning position by making 318/5 before declaring. Boycott made an unbeaten 142, Basil D’Oliveira 56, and Ray Illingworth 53. John Snow then took 7-40 as Australia were bowled out for just 116, despite captain Bill Lawry remaining undefeated on 60. England won by 299 runs.
The fifth Test in Melbourne ended in a draw, although both sides might have won it.
Australia batted and they piled up 493, Ian Chappell making 111, Rod Marsh an unbeaten 92, and Ian Redpath 72. England though proved they were no pushovers by making 392 in reply, both D’Oliveira and Brian Luckhurst with centuries.
Australia declared on 169/4, but they were glad there was not more time left in the game. That is because, chasing 271 to win, England were 161/0 at stumps on the final day, Boycott unbeaten on 76 and Edrich on 74.
It was almost the same story, but this time in reverse in the sixth Test in Adelaide.
This time England wracked up the runs after batting first. Edrich made 136, Keith Fletcher 80, and Boycott and John Hampshire fifties, as they closed on 470. Keith Stackpole then made 67, but 4-48 from Peter Lever helped them bowl out Australia for 235.
England batted again and made 233/4, Boycott scoring an unbeaten 119. But this time it was a case of what might have been for the Australians. Chasing a highly improbable 469 to win, they were 328/3 in their second innings, Stackpole making 136 and Ian Chappell 104, when the match ended.
Matters finally came to a head in the seventh Test in Sydney where Australia won the toss and put England in to bat. And that initially seemed a good decision as they bowled the tourists out for just 184, Terry Jenner and Kerry O’Keeffe both taking three wickets.
When it came to their turn to bat, Australia made 264, Greg Chappell top-scoring with 65 and Redpath scoring 55. England then scored 302, Luckhurst making 59 and Edrich 57, meaning Australia needed 223 to win, square the series and retain the Ashes.
They were bowled out for just 160 though, despite Stackpole’s 67, and the urn was on its way back to England.