England clean up Aussies in first Ashes test
STUART Broad yesterday led England to a 169-run victory in the first Ashes test as Australia collapsed either side of lunch on the fourth day at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens.
Australia, well-placed at 97/1, slumped to 106/5 as four wickets fell for just nine runs in 36 balls.
Chasing a huge 412 for a win, Ashes holders Australia were dismissed for 242 after tea.
Fast-medium bowler Broad took three for 39 in 14 overs as England enjoyed an emphatic win in their first match under new Australian coach Trevor Bayliss.
Joe Root, named man of the match for his first innings of 134 after coming in with England struggling at 43/3, had the last word in the game by catching bowler Josh Hazlewood in the deep off spinner Moeen Ali.
“This test couldn’t have gone any better and we’ll enjoy tonight [yesterday],” said England captain Alastair Cook.
“Joe Root was fantastic and the bowlers were superb.”
Root added: “I think it was my most important hundred. It’s great to get that win, hopefully we can now back it up at Lord’s [where the second test starts on Thursday].”
Australia captain Michael Clarke said his side had been well beaten.
“We were outplayed in all three facets,” Clarke told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special.
“England batted well on day one, we didn’t take our catches and our batting let us down in both innings. We look forward to making amends in the second test.”
As if defeat wasn’t bad enough for the visitors, left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc — who took five wickets in England’s first innings— ended the match struggling with an ankle injury.
Asked if Starc would be fit for Lord’s, Clarke said: “I hope so.”
No side have made more in the fourth innings to win an Ashes test than Australia’s 404/3 at Headingley in 1948 when Arthur Morris scored 182 and Donald Bradman an unbeaten 173.
But their two best individual scores yesterday were No 8 Mitchell Johnson’s 77 and opener David Warner’s 52.
Australia were going well at 97/1 when Warner was out leg before wicket to Ali (three for 59). Broad had bowled well in an opening spell of one for 10 in six overs and deserved more than the wicket of Chris Rogers.
Joe Root was fantastic and the bowlers were superb
However, Broad — renowned for striking in bursts — took two for five in 13 balls shortly after lunch to capture the prize wickets of Steven Smith and Clarke.
He was on target in the first full over after lunch when he seamed the ball away from Smith, the No 1 test batsman, who edged to Ian Bell at second slip as, for the second time this match, he fell for 33.
Clarke, looking to lead Australia to their first Ashes series win in Britain in 14 years, then went for a mere four.
Shane Watson hung around for more than an hour making 19 before he was also caught leg before wicket to fast bowler Mark Wood.
Johnson delayed England before Root, with the aid of a slip catch by Adam Lyth via a deflection off Cook, ended his innings to leave Australia on the brink of defeat at 242/9.