5 of the lowest points for England in the Ashes

The famed Test series between England and Australia has been a roaring success ever since the first series was played in 1882-83. So far, hundreds of Test matches have been played between the two sides. Both have enjoyed periods of ascendancy and dominance but have also been plagued by crippling defeats.

There have been plenty of low points for England in this historic series, and some of them have been truly shambolic. Here is a look at five of the worst.

#5 Brisbane, 2013

England arrived in Australia as the favourites, after having beaten its rival comprehensively (3-0) in the home series earlier that year. In the first Test at Brisbane, England dismissed the hosts for 295, and it looked like it would be an evenly-contested Test match.

However, England ran into Mitchell Johnson, who precipitated an astonishing collapse in the first innings, and the visitors slumped to 136 all out in 52.4 overs.

Australia piled on the runs in the second innings, but a demoralised England collapsed again in the second innings, all out for 179 from being 130-3 at one stage.

This marked one of the lowest points for one of England's best batting line-ups, and the team never recovered from the Johnson onslaught as they crashed to a 5-0 series defeat.

#4 Headingley, 1989

Terry Alderman's bowling precipitated Australia's win

When Allan Border's young team came to England in 1989, the Australians were rank outsiders. They had lost the last two Ashes, and it was quite natural that no one gave them a chance to win the trophy that year.

In the very first Test at Headingley, however, Australia showed that they were there to compete, and claimed a victory that went on to signal a power shift in the rivalry.

Having scored 601 in the first innings and dismissed England for 430, the Australians set England an improbable target of 402 in 83 overs. A draw looked like the most likely result, and when England reached 67 for the loss of only one wicket, there was hardly any doubt that the match was going to end in a draw.

However, swing bowler Terry Alderman had other ideas - he took five wickets to trigger a collapse, and England were dismissed for 191 in 55.1 overs.

Australia went on to win the series 4-0 and heralded an era of dominance that would last 16 years.

#3 Melbourne Cricket Ground, 1990

The Ashes, second Test

The Australians started the 1990-91 Ashes Down Under as firm favourites, after having won the last one in England 4-0. They won the first Test at Brisbane, but England fought back in the Boxing Day Test match and secured a first-innings lead of 46 runs. They started well and, thanks to fifties from Gooch and Larkins, reached 147 for the loss of four wickets...until left-arm fast bowler Bruce Reid proved to be too much for England.

From 147 for four, England collapsed to 150 all out and practically surrendered the Ashes in the second Test, enduring one of the lowest points in the history of English cricket.

Australia knocked off the target for the loss of two wickets and England went on to lose the series 3-0.

#2 Adelaide, 2006

England collapsed in Adelaide in 2006

After an Ashes win at home in 2005, the English team that went to Australia in 2006 was expected to be far more competitive than some of its predecessors.

England lost the first Test but seemed to be in command to at least draw the second one at Adelaide. Paul Collingwood's 206 in the first innings laid the foundations for a mammoth first innings score of 551, and England secured a lead by dismissing Australia for 513.

At the end of the fourth day, they were sitting pretty at 59-1, and a draw seemed like the only likely result.

However, the next morning, Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell fell early and panic set in. Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath combined to hasten the collapse, and England were all out for 129.

Adelaide, 2006 is undoubtedly one of England's biggest disappointments in Ashes history. The Boxing Day Test at Melbourne ended in an innings defeat, while the final game at Sydney saw Australia romp home by 10 wickets to complete the 5-0 annihilation.

It was the first time since 1920-21 that any team had won the Ashes 5-0, and it was the collapse at Adelaide that triggered it all.

#1 The Oval, 1882

The iconic urn

This was the match that gave the series its name, and is perhaps the lowest point for England in the history of the tournament.

In this one-off Test staged at The Oval in August 1882, England dismissed Australia for just 63 in the first innings. Many thought that the Test was all but over, but Australia's best fast bowler at the time, Fred Spofforth, had other ideas. He took seven wickets to dismiss England for 101 but Australia could not capitalise, and the hosts were eventually set a target of 85 runs to win the game.

Spofforth took seven wickets in the second innings as well to dismiss England for 77, and Australia won the Test match against all odds.

Following the defeat, The Sporting Times, a sports daily in England, stated that English cricket was dead, the body was to be cremated, and the ashes were to be taken to Australia.

These words stung, and England's quest to "reclaim the Ashes" commenced then.