England continued their record of not having won the Ashes since the First World War on their tour of Australia in the winter of 1924/25.
The first Test, in Sydney in December, was full of runs. Australia, batting first, made 450, captain Herbie Collins scoring 114, and Bill Ponsford 110. In reply, Jack Hobbs starred for England, scoring 115 out of 298, whilst Patsy Hendren was unbeaten on 74.
The second time round Australia were dismissed for 452, Taylor with 108, and Arthur Richardson with 98, while Collins chipped in with 60.
England required what would have been a world record of 605 to win. Although they gave it a good go, it proved beyond them. Frank Woolley hit 123 and Herbert Sutcliffe 115, but they could, collectively, only manage 411, losing by 193 runs.
The second Test, at the MCG, saw Australia make a mammoth 600 in their first innings, Vic Richardson and Ponsford both scoring centuries, while Albert Hartkopf made 80 and Taylor 72.
England, though, responded strongly with openers Hobbs and Sutcliffe sharing a stand of 283. Hobbs made 154 and Sutcliffe 176, but the rest of the team disappointed with the bat, as they closed on 479.
Australia made 250 in their second innings, largely due to 90 from Taylor. Requiring 372 to win, Sutcliffe hit another century, but his team were all out for 290, losing by 81 runs.
The third Test, in Adelaide, was much tighter. Again Australia batted first. This time Jack Ryder was the hero for them scoring an unbeaten 201. Tommy Andrews also made 70 as the home side were dismissed for 489.
England then recovered from a poor start to make 365 in return. Hobbs made 119. In their second innings, Australia were all out for 250, despite 88 from Ryder.
That meant that England needed 375 to win, but, despite ‘Dodger’ Whysall’s 75 75 and half-centuries from Sutcliffe and Chapman, they slipped to an 11-run defeat.
The Ashes had been decided by this point, but at least England broke their post-War winning hoodoo in the fourth Test in Melbourne.
This time they won the toss, and gave themselves an excellent platform by making 548. Sutcliffe continued his fine individual tour with 143, Hobbs scored 66, Roy Kilner 74, and Whysall 76.
They then dismissed Australia for 269, despite 86 from Taylor, and enforced the follow-on. Taylor again top-scored with 68, but they could only manage 250, meaning England had won by an innings and 29 runs.
Normal service though was resumed in the fifth Test, in Sydney. Winning the toss and batting first, Australia made 295, Ponsford scoring 80 of them. England were then bowled out for 167, Clarrie Grimmett taking 5-45.
Australia then made 325, Charles Kellaway with 75, Bert Oldfield with 65, and Tommy Andrews 80. Set 454, England subsided to 146, Grimmett with 6-37 this time.
Australia had won by 307 runs.