Ashes 2015: Does spin make a big difference at The Oval?

England spinner Adil Rashid will be hoping to make his Test debut at The Oval, either alongside or in place of Moeen Ali.

But just how big an impact has twirl had in recent Ashes Tests at Surrey's ground? Here's our handy reminder...

The Ashes - Live

1997 - Tuffers puts Australia in a spin

Shane Warne is arguably the finest spinner ever to play the game but at The Oval in 1997, the Australian was outdone by Phil Tufnell. Having been recalled for the sixth Test - now a dead rubber after Australia secured the urn with a thumping victory at Trent Bridge in the previous game - Tufnell took 11 wickets compared to Warne's four as England earned a thrilling 19-run win. The Cat snared 7-66 in Australia's first knock but his 4-27 second time around was even more crucial, Tufnell dismissing Mark Waugh - his most-frequent Test victim - and Ricky Ponting before returning to topple Warne and last man Glenn McGrath as the Baggy Greens were skittled for 104.

2001 - Warne turns the tables

Warne wasn't going to let Tufnell best him in two Oval Tests on the trot. The leggie had plenty of runs to play with as Australia racked up a whopping 641-4 in their first dig and proceeded to take 7-165 to wreck England's chances of avoiding the follow on. Warne then ripped the heart out of the hosts' middle order in their second knock, removing Nasser Hussain, Mark Butcher, first-innings centurion Mark Ramprakash and Alec Stewart to end with 4-64. Warne then handed over to seam king McGrath (5-43), though he did take the match-winning catch, pouching Tufnell. Tufnell's recall at the age 35 didn't go to plan, the veteran notching 1-174 in his 42nd and last Test.

2005 - Warne's 12-for not enough for Aussies

Australia shipped the Ashes to England a decade ago but their King of Spin almost proved their saviour. With the Baggy Greens 2-1 down, Warne sent England’s top five - and fellow spinner Ashley Giles - packing as the home team made 373. Then, putting a duck behind him in Australia’s first innings, Warne bowled beautifully, seizing 6-124 as the Baggy Greens tried but failed to force a win. In a cruel twist of fate, it was Warne’s error in the slip cordon that cost the tourists dear, the bowler shelling Kevin Pietersen on 15 before the England man went on to score a rollicking 158 and take the game away from the tourists. England tweaker Giles ended wicketless, by the way, but as his gritty batting on the final day secured his team a draw, he didn’t care.

2009 - Swann shines as part-timers struggle

Warne had called time on his international career after Australia walloped England in the 2006-07 Ashes - and how he was missed in 2009. With the series evenly poised at 1-1 and the tourists needing only a draw to keep the urn, they inexplicably left out frontline spinner Nathan Hauritz in favour of an all-pace attack. So, while Graeme Swann claimed match figures of 8-158 as England won the encounter by 197 runs and secured the third of what is now four home Ashes-series wins on the trot, Australia’s spin outlet was limited to part-timers Michael Clarke and Marcus North. Sure, North was no dud with the ball, as his 4-98 in England’s second-innings testified, but just think how big a role Hauritz could have played…

2013 - Kerrigan clubbed, Swann stifled

With England having retained the Ashes by the time the Oval Test came around, they opted to tinker with their line-up, handing Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes and Lancashire spinner Simon Kerrigan their Test-match bows. Woakes looked tidy, more so with the bat than the ball it must be said, but Kerrigan had a debut to forget, biffed for 53 from the only eight overs he bowled in the match. The slow-left armer hasn’t been seen in England colours since. Rain played havoc with the match, though, delaying the start of day two and wiping out day four entirely, the wet conditions perhaps explaining why Swann took just three wickets in the match and Australia spinner Nathan Lyon one.

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