Ashes Venues: Old Trafford

Old Trafford held its first Ashes Test in 1884 and was the scene of Australia spinner Shane Warne's 'ball of the century' which dismissed Mike Gatting in 1993.

The Manchester venue hosts the fourth Test of the 2023 Ashes series in which 11/8 England take on 11/10 Australia with the draw rated at 6/1.

What	Ashes Series 2023
Where	Five Test matches at Edgbaston, Old Trafford, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval
When	Series starts 11:00, Friday 16th June
How to watch	Sky Sports Cricket & Sky Sports Main Event
Odds	England 11/8, Draw 6/1, Australia 11/10

Where is Old Trafford?

Old Trafford, the home ground of Lancashire County Cricket Club, is in Manchester, just south of the city centre.
 

When is the 2023 Old Trafford Ashes Test?

The fourth Test of the 2023 Ashes between England and Australia is a five-day match starting at 11:00 on Wednesday 19th July.
 

Can I watch the 2023 Old Trafford Ashes Test?

Yes, the 2023 Ashes series will be shown live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.
 

How many times has Old Trafford hosted an Ashes Test?

Old Trafford has hosted 30 Ashes Test matches between 1884 and 2019. 

The Mancunian weather has often been a decisive factor in the outcome as 15 of those 30 games ended in draws, with England winning seven and losing the other eight.
 

What is England's overall Test record at Old Trafford?

England have a formidable recent record at Old Trafford against every visiting team except Australia. 

The hosts have won 13 of their last 16 Tests in Manchester but the other three were Ashes draws in 2005 and 2013 and a 185-run defeat to the Aussies in September 2019. 

Overall, 35 of Old Trafford's 82 Tests have been stalemates with England winning 32 and losing 15.
 

What are the greatest Test matches in Old Trafford's history?

Shane Warne's fizzing leg-spinner that bamboozled Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes Test isn't the only moment of magic from a slow bowler at Old Trafford, where England's Jim Laker took 19 wickets against Australia in 1956. 

Laker claimed 9-37 in Australia's first innings and 10-53 second time around when his fellow Surrey spinner Tony Lock toiled away for 55 wicketless overs. 

Laker's match figures of 19-90 remain the best in Test history and Old Trafford crowds also witnessed some spectacular cricket from the West Indies, who recorded innings victories over England in 1966, 1984 and 1988, and thrashed their hosts by 10 wickets in 1963 and 425 runs in 1976. 

Ian Botham scored a brilliant second-innings century to drag England to victory over Australia during the famous 1981 Ashes series and in 2005 the Aussies clung on for a thrilling draw, closing on 371-9 after being set 423 for victor
 

Are Old Trafford Test matches usually high-scoring?

The two highest individual Test scores at Old Trafford, Bobby Simpson's 311 and Ken Barrington's 256, both came in the 1964 Ashes fixture but usually fast bowlers and spinners are in the contest in Manchester. 

The two ends of the ground are named after legendary Lancashire fast bowlers Brian Statham and James Anderson and England's record Test wicket-taker Anderson picked up six scalps in August 2022 when South Africa were bowled out for 151 and 179. 

Visiting teams, other than Australia, often struggle with the bat at Old Trafford. England have bowled out their opponents for 180 or under on 10 occasions this century, including New Zealand's total of 114 in 2008 and the West Indies' 129 in 2020.
 

Which batters have the best records at Old Trafford?

England captain Ben Stokes averages 52.8 at Old Trafford, his best record at any English Test ground, largely thanks to 2020 innings of 176 and 78 not out against the West Indies. 

Joe Root has scored only one century in nine Tests in Manchester but he made it count, amassing a career-best 254 against Pakistan in 2016, and Australia's Steve Smith has an average of 100.25 in his two appearances, scoring a double-century in 2019. 

Smith's teammate David Warner has less fond memories of the venue, however, having been dismissed for a duck by Stuart Broad in both innings of the 2019 Ashes clash.
 

Which bowlers are favoured by conditions at Old Trafford?

Old Trafford has traditionally been England's most spin-friendly Test ground. As well as Laker and Warne's heroics, England spinners Monty Panesar (25 wickets in three appearances) and Moeen Ali (16 in three) have fared well in Manchester. 

Moeen, who is set to return to the Test squad after Jack Leach's injury, will hope for more success at Old Trafford, where West Indies slow bowler Lance Gibbs claimed 23 wickets in three visits in the 1960s. 

England veteran Anderson has a modest record of 37 scalps in 10 Tests at his home ground and is still waiting for a maiden five-wicket haul but Broad took 10-67 in the 2020 win over the Windies. 

Australia's pace bowlers enjoyed their 2019 victory in Manchester. Pat Cummins took seven wickets in the match, dismissing four of England's top five batsmen in the second innings, and Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, who are also in the 2023 Ashes squad, shared 10 scalps.