How to play 5-0

What is 5-0?

5-0 is the Ashes whitewash game — the cricket edition of the all-era team genre created by 82-0's NBA challenge and 23-0's AFL version. Spin the wheel to draw a real Ashes series — both squads, home and away, from the 1902 Golden Age classic to Bazball 2023 — pick six legends, and see whether your side could win a five-Test series 5-0.

Every player rating is derived from real Test career statistics, adjusted for the era they played in, covering nearly 150 years of Ashes cricket.

How to play

1. Pick your side — England (touring Australia) or Australia (touring England).
2. Spin to draw a random Ashes series, both squads available. The wheel never repeats, so every pick comes from a different pool.
3. Pick one player and place them: OPEN, BAT, WK, PACE, SPIN or AR. Every XI must include a genuine all-rounder, and all-rounders can also cover batting or bowling slots.
4. Use your two re-spins wisely if a squad doesn't suit your empty positions.
5. Finalise your six to reveal the projected series result. Win all five Tests and you've done the whitewash: 5-0.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to go 5-0? Yes — but only the strongest era-spanning combinations rate highly enough to win every Test. A whitewash is rare by design.

How are players rated? On what they actually did in that series — runs, wickets and dismissals from the tour, blended with career class. Pick 2013–14 Mitchell Johnson and you get the demon; pick 2010–11 Mitchell Johnson and you get the punchline.

Are the squads real? Yes. The twelve series in the game — including Bodyline 1932–33, the 1948 Invincibles, 1981, 2005 and the 2013–14 whitewash — include both sides of each series, home and away, using the players who actually played, with a few squads lightly abridged.

Is 5-0 free? Completely. It runs in your browser on any device, no signup required.