The England cricket team toured Australia during the 2013–14 season from 31 October 2013 to 2 February 2014. The series included the traditional five Tests for The Ashes, and also featured five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is).
Australia dominated all three formats on the tour, their only loss coming in the fourth ODI. As a result of the tour, England's Test coach Andy Flower was relieved of his duties with the team, while batsman Kevin Pietersen was informed that he would no longer be considered for selection by the national team.
Squads
±Late addition
Background
The two teams were meeting after a gap of less than six months. These back to back Ashes series were being staged after 38 years, reminiscent of the 1970s. The move was initiated keeping in mind the 2015 World Cup that Australia and New Zealand were to host. The previous edition of the Ashes was played in England in July 2013 with England emerging comfortable winners. England had won the previous three editions of the Ashes and were tipped to win this edition as well. They were looking to emulate a feat that had not been achieved since the 1890s, win four Ashes on the trot. Simply going by Australia's performances in the recent past, it was assumed that the result was a foregone conclusion. Australia's batting was clearly found wanting in the previous series and they had lost matches from seemingly comfortable situations, as was seen in Durham and Lord's. The series had was also shadowed by the controversy surrounding Stuart Broad's refusal to walk in the previous series after clearly edging Ashton Agar to Michael Clarke in the first test at Trent Bridge. He was dubbed a "smug, pommie cheat" by sections of the media and with coach Darren Lehman's unsavory comments, things were even more interesting.
Tour matches
First-class: Western Australia Chairman's XI v England XI
The England team arrived in Australia in late October looking to get the tour off to a good start, but the Chairman's XI were more than a match for them. Chris Lynn was loaned to Western Australia by Queensland, overlooked for their Sheffield Shield clash being played at the same time. This move paid off as Lynn made a blistering 104, only his third first-class century as each of Western Australia's top four batsmen made half-centuries. England's fast-bowling trio of Chris Tremlett, Boyd Rankin and Steven Finn struggled for line and length on the WACA wicket and Chairman's XI declared at 5/451. England began to fight back however as Michael Carberry made 78 and both Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell made centuries, the former didn't get out and made 113 and the latter retired on 115. England were eventually bowled out for 391 and half-centuries to Mitchell Marsh and Lynn meant that the game ended in a draw.
First-class: Australia A v England XI
England turned things around against Australia A as the tourists piled on the runs. Australia A were luckless in the field as England's Michael Carberry and captain Alastair Cook each made 150 as England finished the first day on 318 without loss. The rain was relentless on Days 2 and 3, meaning no play was possible and the game was headed for a certain draw. Both Cook and Carberry retired ahead of Day 4, when Joe Root made 58 and Ben Cutting was the pick of the bowlers. England finally put Australia A out of their misery and declared at 7/430. Only 31 overs were bowled as Alex Doolan made 31 as another tour match went down as a draw.
First-class: Cricket Australia Invitational XI v England XI
England were dominant early on against the Invitational XI taking 5/93 in just over 30 overs. Ed Cowan provided the only resistance with 51, until the New South Wales duo of Ryan Carters and Peter Nevill fought back with 94 and 83, respectively. The partnership was broken on Day 2 and the visitors were left chasing 304. They passed the total easily as Cook, Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Root all made half-centuries, despite James Muirhead's four wickets. Aaron Finch made a half-century as his side made 261 leaving England with 148 to win and Carberry's fifty ensured that England won by seven wickets.