Ashes Venues: The Oval

The Oval is an international cricket ground located in Kennington, south London and it will host the fifth Test of the 2023 Ashes series.

The venue traditionally hosts the final Test match of the English summer and that will again be the case for the 2023 Ashes series. 

Australia are the holders of the Ashes urn after a 4-0 victory down under in 2021/22 and they are 19/20 to beat 8/5 England in this summer's five-match series with the draw priced up at 11/2.

What	Ashes Series 2023
Where	Five Test matches at Edgbaston, Lord's, 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 8/5, Draw 11/2, Australia 19/20

Where is The Oval?

The Oval is situated in the Kennington area of south London and is the home to Surrey County Cricket Club. 

The ground has also staged a number of significant sporting events other than cricket. The Oval was the venue for England's first international football match, versus Scotland in 1870, and it also hosted the first FA Cup final in 1874. 

International rugby union has also been staged at the ground.

When is the 2023 Oval Ashes Test?

The Oval will hold the fifth and final Test of the 2023 Ashes between England and Australia. The five-day match is scheduled to start at 11:00 on Thursday 27th July.

Can I watch the 2023 Oval Ashes Test?

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

How many times has The Oval hosted an Ashes Test?

The 2023 Ashes clash at The Oval will be the 39th Test between England and Australia at the ground. 

The first time they met there was in 1880, when England won by five wickets. The hosts have won 17 and drawn 14 of their 38 Ashes Tests at The Oval, with Australia claiming just seven victories. 

Australia have already played at The Oval this summer against India in the ICC World Test Championship final, which they won by 209 runs.

What is England's overall Test record at The Oval?

England have won 44, lost 23 and drawn 37 of their 104 Test matches at The Oval. 

They have been particularly productive at the venue in recent years, with four victories in their last five Tests at The Oval, and there has been only one draw at the venue in 14 Tests since 2008. 

Australia have the best record of any touring side with seven victories, although their Oval success in 2015 was their first at the ground since 2001. 

The West Indies are not far behind the Australians with six victories, albeit it has been 35 years since the last of those six triumphs.

Are Test matches at The Oval usually high-scoring?

The Oval is generally regarded as one of the best batting wickets in England. 

England racked up 903-7dec against Australia in an Ashes Test in 1938, which came only four years after Australia had themselves piled on 701. 

Scores of 400 or more runs are still commonplace at The Oval. Indeed, Australia tallied 469 in their first innings of this year's World Test Championship final against India, while the Indians posted 466 in their second innings of a 2021 victory over England. 

However, England's last Test at The Oval, against South Africa in 2022, yielded only 575 runs and lasted a little over two days.

Which batters have the best records at The Oval?

England great Len Hutton has scored the most Test match runs at The Oval, registering 1,521 runs in 12 matches at the London venue. That includes a knock of 364 against Australia in the 1938 Ashes which remains as the highest individual score at The Oval. 

Hutton's triple century is one of two scored at The Oval with Hashim Amla's unbeaten 311 for South Africa in 2012 being the other. 

Sir Alistair Cook and Graham Gooch are the two other batsmen to have passed 1,000 Test runs at The Oval, although current England star Joe Root arguably has a chance to join them in the coming years. Root has scored 672 runs in nine Tests at the ground so far in his career. 

Cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman is the leading visiting runscorer with 553 runs in just four innings but 'The Don' could be overtaken by his Australian compatriot Steve Smith this summer. 

Smith has scored only seven runs fewer than Bradman at The Oval and has scored three centuries at the ground, the latest of which came in June's World Test Championship final versus India.

Which bowlers are favoured by conditions at The Oval?

The wickets at The Oval have a reputation for being the most conducive to spin bowling in England, although the two leading wicket-takers at the venue are both English seamers. 

Sir Ian Botham leads the way with 52 Test victims at the ground, while evergreen England paceman James Anderson is close behind on 49. 

Anderson's new-ball partner Stuart Broad is fourth on the list with 41 wickets but England spinners Derek Underwood (45 wickets), Jim Laker (40) and Tony Lock (34) all feature prominently on the list of all-time wicket-takers at The Oval. 

As does spin bowling legend Shane Warne, who took 32 wickets in just four Tests at The Oval. In that time, the Australian claimed three five-wicket hauls and took 10 wickets in a match twice.