Test Match Special

Daily Ashes Quiz: Wins in the first three tests

Dec 22, 2025
Join comedian and statistician Andy Zaltzman as he challenges listeners with cricketing conundrums during the Ashes. Discover England's dismal record in the first three Tests since 1990, winning only one out of thirty matches. Test your knowledge with a quiz about England's wins between 1901 and 1987. Tune in for the answers and engage in friendly competition with friends. Don't miss out on the insights and humor that make cricket captivating!
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INSIGHT

Scoring At Four Runs Per Over Was Rare

  • England and Australia rarely scored at four runs per over or faster before 2000, happening only six times in 296 tests to 1900s end.
  • Andy Zaltzman reveals the rarity and lists the six occurrences with dates and venues.
ADVICE

Try The TMS Quiz Scoring System

  • Use the show's scoring system to self-evaluate your quiz answers and stay engaged with daily questions.
  • Andy Zaltzman assigns points for exact, near and distant guesses to motivate listeners.
INSIGHT

England's Long First-Three-Test Struggle

  • England's recent record in the first three Ashes tests in Australia is poor: 30 played, 1 won, 4 drawn, 25 lost since 1990.
  • Andy Zaltzman asks how many wins England had in the first three tests across 20 earlier tours from 1901–1987.
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