England have made a record breaking start to the Fourth Ashes Test, reducing Australia to 21/5 after just 4.1 overs.
The unbelievable start to the game by Stuart Broad and Mark Wood, ensured it was the earliest a fifth wicket has ever fallen in a Test match – England’s opening duo needing just 23 balls to totally demolish the Australian top order.
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Broad was the man most responsible for the carnage, getting both Chris Rogers and Steve Smith in his first over, both caught in the slips. It was a first ever Test duck for Rogers.
Wood got in on the action in the second over of the match, removing David Warner for a duck.
Before today, Warner had only failed to score zero runs on four occassions.
Broad quickly struck again, getting Shaun Marsh for another duck – also the earliest a fourth wicket has ever fallen in a Test.
In his next over he and England went one better, with their fifth wicket of the morning, Adam Voges caught brilliantly by Ben Stokes at fifth slip.
Broad’s superb morning got even better in his next over, as he completed his five wicket haul in just his fourth over of the day.
It took him just 19 balls to claim his five scalps, the 9th fastest in Test history, just one ball slower than it took Mitchell Johnson against England in Adelaide in 2013, and six short of Monty Noble’s record set in the 1901/02 Ashes series.
It is not in fact even the fastest five-wicket haul Broad has taken in his career, he took 5/0 against India on the very same ground in 2011.
How the Australia wickets fell on the first day of the Fourth Test
Australia did at least avoid their lowest ever Ashes total, beating the 36 all out they made at Edgbaston in 1902, as Mitchell Johnson picked up a couple of runs in the 11th over.
Broad looked certain to bring up his best ever Test figures when he snared both Mitchells Johnson and Starc in one over, both caught in the slips by Root, giving him figures of 7/11.
Only two men in history have a better Test 7-for or 8-for, George Lohmann, who took 8 for 7 against South Africa in 1896, and Johnny Briggs who finished with 7/11 also against South Africa in 1889.
Steve Harmison more recently finished with figures of 7/12 against the West Indies in 2004, a record which Broad is still on course to beat.
England bowled Australia out in just 111 balls - an Ashes record.
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