Broad and Swann destroy Australia, revive England’s Ashes bid

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: August 22, 2009

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London: Stuart Broad produced a magical spell to match that of Andrew Flintoff’s at Lords as England kept their hopes of winning the Ashes alive on the second day of the fifth Ashes test at the Oval.

Broad took 5 for 27 in 12 overs to remove five top order batsmen – Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin, with Graeme Swann providing some fine support and cleaning up the tale with figures of 4 for 38 as Australia were bowled out for just 160 in their first innings.

The brilliant bowling performance gave England, who made 332 in their first innings, a huge 172 runs lead in the first innings and by stumps on the second day they had extended that lead to 230 after ending the day at 58 for 3 in the second innings with three more days still to go in the game.

Although Australia did regain some lost ground by picking up 3 wickets in the final session of play as England’s top order frailties were exposed again, but with Andrew Strauss still batting on 32 and England’s leading already reaching 230, the majority of the worries are with the visitors on a pitch which is more reminiscent of Kanpur rather than the Oval! In particular, the manner of Alastair Cook’s dismissal – caught at slip as Australia’s part-timer, Marcus North, ripped an off-spinner across his bows – was ample proof of the traumas that lie ahead.

Before the start of their innings, Australia would have been wary of one big, pace-bowling all-rounder. But Flintoff, playing in his last test match, looked a little out of shape on a day where Broad, in only his 22^nd test match, took his 3^rd five wicket haul – the same number that Flintoff has managed in 79 tests.

Australia made a solid start to their innings on a dusty, crumbling pitch, after England were bowled out for 332 in their first innings starting on an overnight score of 307 for 8. Aussies were 72 without loss at one stage with Watson and Katich playing steadily until Strauss called upon Broad into the bowling attack as the fifth bowler and he struck with only his sixth ball sparking a collapse which saw Australia lose 8 wickets for 58 runs in an extraordinary second session.

“We bowled well as a unit. We talked about putting pressure on together and it proved to be my day as well as Graeme’s,” said Broad.

“We were delighted as a team to bowl them out for just 160. It was a patient wicket. We saw (Australian seamer) Peter Siddle put it in the right area, kept it tight and the wickets came for him. We knew that if we could keep the scoring rate down, it would come for us. I was looking to hit the top of off because I knew there was variation in the wicket,” he added.

Australia had lost 10 wickets for 87 runs in 30 overs. It was a dream position for England in a Test, with the series all square at 1-1, they had to win to regain the Ashes but one where Australia required merely a draw to retain them.

England have now given themselves a chance of only their second Ashes series win since 1986/87 when ironically, Broad’s father Chris Broad was the captain of the England team.

Brief Scores:

England 332 (Bell 72, Siddle 4-75, Hilfenhaus 3-71) and 58 for 3 (Strauss 32*, Trott 8*) lead Australia 160 (Broad 5-37, Swann 4-38) by 230 runs

Tagged with: Andrew Flintoff, Andrew Strauss, Ashes, Australia, Brad Haddin, England, Graeme Swann, London, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Stuart Broad

Broad and Swann destroy Australia, revive England’s Ashes bid

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