England v Australia 4th Ashes Test day 1 Review: Broad, Root decimate shambolic Australia

England v Australia 4th Ashes Test day 1 Review: Broad, Root decimate shambolic Australia: There were plenty of questions ahead of the 4th Ashes Test for Australia. The worrisome form of Michael Clarke. Will he drop himself to No. 5? Will Shaun Marsh replace Adam Voges at No.4? The think-tank had quite few decisions to make and another poor performance was to mean good-bye to the Urn. But what transpired on the opening day at Trent Bridge was far from poor. It was shocking, dismal, and we would run out of adjectives to describe the Aussie collapse on the first day or should we say the first morning of the Trent Bridge Test. It was Stuart Broad’s day. Joe Root, even with that sublime century could not steal Broad’s thunder. Stuart Broad was determined to brainwash every cricket fan’s memories who still called him the one who got hit for six sixes, and that is exactly what he did.

Alastair Cook struggled to contain his smile after having won another toss under overcast conditions and elected to bowl first. Jimmy Anderson was out with a side-strain and Mark Wood was drafted back into the side after Lord’s. The Aussies roped in Shaun Marsh for brother Mitchell.

Stuart Broad gave England a dream start when he dismissed Chris Rogers and Steven Smith in the first over. Broad, carrying an additional responsibility in the absence of James Anderson, wrecked havoc thereafter. All said about the pitch and conditions, some of his deliveries were simply a result of great skill of swing and seam bowling. Given his love for short bowling he was different on Friday. His lengths were impeccable. Broad recorded his best figures of 8-15 in 9.3 overs. This was also the best figures in Trent Bridge and the first time in history that a bowler had taken 8 wickets inside 10 overs. Broad had begun the morning hoping for 300 Test wickets. He finished level with Fred Trueman’s 307.

Michael Clarke, said before the game that he had been training as hard as he ever had in his career and that showed when he came to the middle. Determined to prove a point he displayed a solid defence to start with. But a rush of blood, and the skipper lashed out at a wide one to be caught in the slips.

When England came out to bat, so did the sun. The pitch eased out considerably and a 173-run stand between Root and Bairstow gave them a 214-run advantage at stumps. On a day when Australia collectively managed 60 runs, Joe Root compiled a fluent century, his 8th in 31 Tests to take England to a position of utter dominance. It looked like Bairstow was on his way to a comfortable century as well. It wasn’t to be as the Yorkshireman flicked a Hazlewood delivery uppishly and straight to Chris Rogers at square leg who used his body to complete the catch.

All the talk about England having a dubious record of winning alternate games was safely put to rest. Many expected a Australian fight back similar to the one in Lord’s but intentions do not guarantee performance. You have to apply yourself which unfortunately none of the Australian batters were ready to do.

This series is further strengthening the present day norm of ‘Lions at home and Lambs abroad’. Not to forget the same Aussie batting piled up huge numbers in the previous Ashes down under. Questions have already started, about Michael Clarke’s continual as the Test skipper after the series but it would be premature to speculate anything at this stage.

Australia will have to acknowledge that you can not always, play the same brand of cricket everywhere you go. Showing intent does not always mean playing rash and loose shots. Attack is the best defence but sometimes defence can also be the best attack. Stuart Broad wanted to be the leader of England’s bowling attack in the absence of James Anderson and he certainly led the team with the ball, and brilliantly at that, as he ripped through the Australian batting order.

Australia, who were bowled out for 60, registered their seventh-lowest total in Test cricket. The Michael Clarke-led side only lasted for 18.3 overs, making it the shortest first innings in Test cricket. It was an insane day of Test match cricket. The Urn is on its way to Britain unless Clarke & Co. can pull off a miracle.

Brief Scores:

Australia 1^st innings – 60 (18.3 overs) (Johnson 13, Clarke 10, Broad 8-15)

England 1^st innings – 274/4 (65 overs) (Root 124*, Bairstow 74, Starc 3-73)