Ashes 2015: Stuart Broad equals fastest five wickets to reach 300

August 06, 2015 in Sports

Stuart Broad-1Stuart Broad equalled the fastest five-wicket haul in Tests as Australia were dismissed for 60 on a remarkable first morning of the fourth Ashes Test.

The Nottinghamshire paceman, 29, took 5-6 with his first 19 balls to become the fifth England bowler to reach 300 Test wickets and finished with 8-15.

His 300th was Chris Rogers, caught at slip from the third ball of the game.

Australia’s Ernie Toshack also took 19 balls to claim five wickets against India at the Gabba in 1947.

Broad’s haul is the fastest five wickets taken from the start of a Test innings, beating the 25 balls required by South Africa’s Vernon Philander to claim five New Zealand wickets at Cape Town in January 2013.

It was England’s third best Ashes bowling figures of all time – only beaten by Jim Laker’s 9-37 and 10-53 at Old Trafford in 1956.

Broad is playing in his 83rd Test, having made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2007.

Broad, playing on his home ground, took two wickets in his first over on Thursday, dismissing Rogers before having Steve Smith caught at third slip by Joe Root from his sixth.

He then had Shaun Marsh caught by Ian Bell at second slip in his second over and Adam Voges spectacularly caught by Ben Stokes at fifth slip in his third.

Australia captain Michael Clarke became Broad’s fifth victim, slashing the first ball of his fourth over to captain Alastair Cook at first slip.

Mark Wood and Steven Finn also took a wicket on the first morning at Trent Bridge as Australia were reduced to 38-7 in 11 overs.

Broad then claimed the last three wickets as Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson both edged to Root at slip before Nathan Lyon was the last man out, caught by Stokes at sixth slip, 20 minutes before lunch.

Broad joins Fred Trueman, Bob Willis, Sir Ian Botham and his team-mate James Anderson in England’s 300 club – with his eighth wicket drawing him level with Trueman on 307.

Anderson, who reached the 300 mark in May 2013, is England’s leading wicket-taker with 413 – although he is missing the fourth Test with a side injury.

Broad has played in three winning Ashes series – in 2009, 2010-11 and 2013 – and scored a Test century against Pakistan at Lord’s in August 2010.