First awarded in the early 1880s, cricket’s oldest trophy rose from the metaphorical ashes of a historic loss, England’s first to Australia on home soil. 

An obituary in the Sporting Times the next day read: “In affectionate remembrance of English Cricket which died at the Oval on 20 August 1882. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

More than 140 years later, the 2023 Ashes series is in full swing, igniting rivalries old and new and across the men’s and women’s competition. 

Even by its own standards, this year’s contest has had it all, from first-day declarations to on-pitch outbursts and Long Room altercations. It has provided spectacle and drama of the highest order. 

Cricket has always been a game of nerve, a ball-by-ball balancing of risk and reward. 

But what can the Ashes 2023 teach you about your long-term retirement plan and investments?

Keep reading to find out.

1. Early preparation is the key to long-term success

England took a 4-0 drubbing in 2021/22 when the Ashes was contested in Australia. England’s men lost four of the five tests and drew one, in a series that saw Australia retain the urn.

Preparations for the 2023 contest began almost straight after.

First came the sacking of Chris Silverwood and then the appointment of Brendon McCullum as the new head coach. McCullum has brought his own style of play to the England test side (more on which later) and that influences everything from team selection to the state of the wicket. 

As the home team, England stipulate the type of pitches each ground produces. Captain Ben Stokes confirmed back in April that England had asked for “flat, fast wickets” and you can be sure that ground staff were made aware of this request in plenty of time.

That’s because preparation is key. And the same is true for your long-term plans.

We can help you to think about your end goals and prepare the way to make your journey to that goal as smooth as possible. That means asking the right questions, helping you to make some tough choices, and being there alongside you each step of the way.

2. Your long-term finances are a test match, not a Twenty20

Shorter forms of the game – like Twenty20, and more recently The Hundred – are greatly increasing crowd numbers, appealing to families and drawing new fans to the sport. But for the connoisseur, the test match will always be cricket’s purest form.

The men’s Ashes series is contested over five test matches, with each match lasting a maximum of five days. (The woman’s series comprises one test, followed by a combination of Twenty20 and one-day internationals.)

This allows for plenty of time for momentum to ebb and flow, with each team experiencing moments of volatility and relative calm.

The same is true of your investments. The stock market moves daily and the value of your wealth moves with it. But patience is key. We can help you to ignore the noise of global conflicts and political in-fighting and help you to stay focused on what matters most to you – your end goal.

England didn’t invent the bouncer during their 1932/33 Ashes tour of Australia. But the “bodyline” tactic – fast, short deliveries aimed at leg stump – certainly caused volatility, on and off the pitch. 

Short deliveries continue to be a legitimate tactic and were used effectively by both sides during the second 2023 Ashes test. In both cases, the tactic resulted in cheap wickets as the batter’s patience was tested.

Staying unemotional and avoiding emotional knee-jerk reactions is key.

3. “Bazball” versus “boring Aussies”: Managing risk and reward

“Bazball” is a term coined by sports journalists to sum up England’s positive batting style under Brendan McCullum (whose nickname is Baz).

It’s a style that England adopted in Pakistan in December 2022. On a flat pitch, England scored 921 runs across their two innings, at a rate of 6.73 runs an over – massive for a test match.

Since Stokes and McCullum took over, England have an average run rate of 4.85, way ahead of other test sides (Steve Waugh’s Australia team of the early 2000s averaged 3.66%).

But “Bazball” isn’t – or shouldn’t be – about runs at all costs. Instead, it is a careful balance of risk versus reward. Stokes exemplified this when he switched gears on day five of the second Test, producing an incredible innings (while ultimately falling short).

Understanding your risk profile is key too. Remember that investing is about achieving your goal in your time frame. That means you don’t need to go chasing after higher returns or riskier investments. You just need to stick to your plan. 

4. Have a plan, but be prepared for it to change if your circumstances do

You need to have a long-term plan in place, but remember that your priorities can, and are allowed to change. 

England have approached the 2023 series with a positive mindset and their batters will be looking to score runs at every opportunity. In the lead-up to the series, England captain Ben Stokes said he would “absolutely not” consider playing for a draw at any point. So far, he has certainly stuck to his word.

But that doesn’t mean that his side can’t adapt. This is true of your long-term plan too.

Life events like births, deaths, and marriages can change your priorities and might mean that you need to revisit your plan. Is it still fit for purpose?

At Expert Wealth, we conduct regular reviews to make sure that you are always on track and can help you make changes if and when they become necessary.

5. Your finances are personal to you but managing them is a team sport 

From the selectors to the batting, bowling, and fielding coaches and the players on the pitch, England’s Ashes campaign is a team effort across the men’s and women’s games.

So too are your finances. And that’s why we are here.

We can help you to think about your finances now and in the future, factoring in your dependents and the challenges of managing intergenerational wealth. If you need help with any aspect of your long-term plans, get in touch now.

Get in touch

Your ultimate goal might not be to lift the Ashes urn, but with decades of experience, our Chartered Financial Planners have the expertise to help you reach your individual financial goals. If you have any questions, please get in touch and speak to us today.

Please note

The value of your investment can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Levels, bases of and reliefs from taxation may be subject to change and their value depends on the individual circumstances of the investor.