Thursday 6 August 2015

Ashes 2015: England on track to regain Ashes on record-breaking day

Ashes 2015: England on track to regain Ashes on record-breaking day

England took a giant step towards regaining The Ashes at Trent Bridge, bundling Australia out for just 60 and reaching 274-4 at close.
Stuart Broad [8/15] took the best figures ever recorded in test cricket at his home ground as Australia were humiliated. Joe Root [124*] followed it up with his third Ashes century.
Arguably the pivotal moment on an historic day occurred half an hour before the destruction began with the Aussies losing the toss and Alastair Cook calling correctly, deciding to bowl on a green tinged pitch and under grey skies.
The carnage started in the first over with Chris Rogers [0] and Steve Smith [6] both edging into a ravenous slip cordon. When David Warner [0] went Australia were 10-3 after just eight deliveries.
And the trail of destruction didn’t end there. 
Michael Clarke joined Shaun Marsh - brought in at the expense of his brother Mitchell - at the crease in the second over of the day.  They were separated in the third as Marsh [0] became the third Aussie to be dismissed for a duck.
Adam Voges [1] joined in the catching practice shortly afterwards with Ben Stokes pulling off the catch of the series, diving and stretching to his right, at fifth slip.
With the innings in tatters and his quest for a first overseas Ashes looking a distant dream Clarke [10] fell soon after – an ill-disciplined swipe that suggested even he’d given up.
Broad completing a five-for in just 19 balls – equalling the world record for the quickest to ever do so.
Broad ended the innings nearly as swiftly as it started with all eight of his dismissals being caught behind the wicket – a masterclass of seam bowling in cloudy, grey conditions.
If Australia were to have a prayer of staying in the game and series they needed their bowlers and fielders to deliver something similar - and, Mitchell Starc aside, they failed. 
Starc took all three wickets before tea with Adam Lyth [14] once again edging behind, Ian Bell [1] and Alastair Cook [43] both going LBW to full swinging deliveries. 
Australia still had a sniff with England 99-3 at tea, but any hope was quickly extinguished soon afterwards.
As the conditions eased and the ball got older, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow [74] combined with a fourth wicket partnership of 173 at a rollicking rate, with Root recording his second century of the series. 
He has now scored more runs than anyone else on either side and will look to add more to England’s 214 run lead when he resumes in the morning
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