England take on Australia in the final Ashes Test at The Oval starting on Wednesday.

The country's oldest ground - home of course to Surrey County Cricket Club - has produced some wonderful games over the years.

This year is the 60th anniversary of one of the most famous of those matches, when the Ashes were returned to this country for the first time since 1934, after a long domination built around the great Don Bradman.

Richard Spiller takes a look at that match and the anniversaries in between.

1953: England v Australia

It was coronation year, Gordon Richards won the Derby, Edmund Hillary conquered Everest and Stanley Matthews finally won an FA Cup final medal.

So it was only right that the Ashes domination Australia had enjoyed in three series since the Second World War was over. Not that Lindsay Hassett's men gave up the urn easily.

The series was locked at 0-0 going into this final match, England having had a narrow escape at Lord's, paceman Fred Trueman being called into the home side from national service and claiming 4-86 as the tourists were bowled out for 275.

Skipper Len Hutton (82) and Trevor Bailey (64) eked out a lead of 31 after which Surrey's spin pair of Jim Laker (4-75) and Tony Lock (5-45) got to work on a turning pitch to dismiss Australia second time round for 162.

It took almost 64 overs to achieve victory by eight wickets, Denis Compton hitting the winning runs and alongside Bill Edrich returning to the pavilion through a corridor in a massive crowd to emotional and joyful scenes.

1963: England v West Indies

Wisden reported that West Indies were "the superior side in all phases" as their eight-wicket success ensured they won the series 3-1.

It took them some time to prove it in this match though, Phil Sharpe's 63 guiding England to 275 despite Charlie Griffiths claiming 6-71 and the tourists declining from 152-2 (thanks to Conrad Hunte's 80) to be 246 all out as Trueman and Brian Statham took three wickets each.

Griffiths, his pace partner Wes Hall (4-39) and Garry Sobers conspired to remove England second time though for 223 – Sharpe again resisting longest for 82 – and Hunte's unbeaten 108 ensured there was no comeback this time.

1973: England v West Indies

Losing by 158 runs marked the beginning of the end for Ray Illingworth's captaincy, having won the Ashes back in 1970-71 and then retained them in 1972.

Clive Lloyd (132), Alvin Kallicharan (80) and Keith Boyce's fierce 72 took the West Indies to 415 in this first of a three-match series, Geoff Boycott's 97 taking England past the follow-on to 257 as Boyce showed his all-round talent by claiming 5-70.

Kallicharan's 80 out of 255 meant the hosts needed an unlikely 414 for victory, falling well short at 255 but their one crumb of comfort being a century on debut for Frank Hayes.

1983: England v New Zealand

The Oval has tradionally held the last Test of the summer but this time it was the first, to enable building work to start on an extensive programme which transformed the creaking old ground into a modern stadium.

But for Derek Randall's fighting 75no, England would not have got close to their eventual 209 as Richard Hadlee (6-53) tore through them.

And Hadlee was in form with the bat too, his 84 limiting England's lead to 13 after Bob Willis (4-43) and Ian Botham (4-62) had them in terrible trouble at 41-5.

Graeme Fowler (105) and Chris Tavare (109) then established a record first-wicket stand of 223 when England batted again, Allan Lamb's 102no inflating the total to a massive 446-6dec.

John Wright (88) and captain Geoff Howarth – hitting 67 at his adopted home ground - resisted manfully but the Kiwis were bowled out for 270 with spinners Phil Edmonds and Vic Marks taking three wickets apiece.

1993: England v Australia

Allan Border's Australians were already 4-0 up going into the final match, a drubbing which had forced the resignation of Graham Gooch as captain with Mike Atherton as his replacement.

A much-changed home side reached 380 through the recalled Graeme Hick's 80 and Surrey's Alec Stewart on 76, then were grateful to Angus Fraser – returning from a hip injury which had sidelined him for more than two years – taking 5-87. Mark Taylor's 70 and Ian Healy (83no) pushed their side to 303.

Gooch (79) and Mark Ramprakash, who made 64 in a Test he only played after Graham Thorpe had a finger broken in the nets on the first day, took England to 313 second time round, and a relaxed tourists went for the 391 total on the last day but fell short by 161 runs thanks to Steve Watkin (4-65), Fraser (3-44) and Devon Malcolm (3-84).

2003: England v South Africa

One of the greatest Tests on this ground ended on the final day with England winning by nine wickets to level the series at 2-2.

Yet on the first day it seemed South Africa were certainties to wrap up the honours when they stood at 290-1 thanks to Herschelle Gibbs (183) and Gary Kirsten (90).

England charged back into the match on the second day to dismiss the tourists for a still substantial 484 but that was put into perspective by Marcus Trescothick's epic 219 and 124 from Graham Thorpe, playing his first Test for more than a year after battling personal problems.

Andrew Flintoff's 95 tore into the tiring attack so that Michael Vaughan was able to declare at 604-9.

It gave the personal platform for Martin Bicknell, who had been ignored for 10 years, to combine with the up-and-coming paceman Steve Harmison as they claimed four wickets apiece to dismiss South Africa for 229.

That still left 110 needed but Trescothick added 69no this time and the match ended with Alec Stewart – who had been given a standing ovation all the way to the wicket on his final international appearance – being carried round his home ground.