Reuters
Nottingham, August 6: England skittled out shell-shocked Australia for 60 and piled up 274 for four in reply to take control of the fourth Ashes Test on a dramatic first day at Trent Bridge, here Thursday.
A rampant Stuart Broad (8/15) wrecked havoc as the tourists were dismissed before lunch, while Joe Root (124 batting, 158b, 19×4, 1×6) and Jonny Bairstow (74, 105b, 12×4) batted England into a commanding position.
The hosts, 2-1 up in the series and without their leading bowler James Anderson, needed only 18.3 overs to run through the touring side who collapsed to their joint sixth-lowest Ashes total in just over 90 minutes.
Broad struck five times in his first four overs, claiming his 300th test victim with the third ball of the morning when he had opener Chris Rogers (0) caught at first slip by Alastair Cook.
Steven Smith (6) edged the last ball of the first over to Root in the slips and David Warner (0) nicked his second delivery from Mark Wood to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, leaving the Australians in tatters at 10 for three.
Australia skipper Michael Clarke (10), dropped one place down the order to no. 5. He survived 25 minutes before he drove loosely at a wide ball from Broad and was caught by Cook. England, struck again when Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges were dismissed as Australia slumped to 21 for five.
It was the first time in Test history that the first five wickets of the match had fallen within 25 balls of the start.
It was Broad’s 14th five-wicket haul in a Test innings and was the first time an England bowler had taken five wickets before lunch on the first day of a Test since Sydney Barnes, against South Africa in 1913.
The 29-year-old was not finished, however, producing another perfect delivery which Mitchell Starc diverted into the hands of Root and Mitchell Johnson fell in identical fashion.
Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood added 13 runs for the last wicket before the former edged Broad to Stokes to give the fast bowler his best Test figures.
Adam Lyth’s (14) poor run continued when, he edged Starc to wicket keeper Nevill and Starc (3/73) produced a venomous full delivery to dismiss Bell (1).
Root and Cook (43) looked in complete control in a partnership of 62 until the captain was trapped in front of the wicket.
England took tea on 99 for three and Root and Bairstow turned the screws on Australia in the final session of the day as the crowd enjoyed in the sun.
