Australian top order collapses, Broad scalps four

Defiant and angry Australian captain Michael Clarke vowed to keep playing on after the Ashes series with England, with those suggesting he was finished talking “a complete load of rubbish”.

Australia were nine down when they passed 47, the memorably woeful total they managed in 2011 at Cape Town.

Two points each are then available for winning either of the three Twenty20 Internationals that conclude the series.

The Three Lions lead Australia 2-1 going into the penultimate meeting of the series at Trent Bridge having thrashed them at Edgbaston by 8 wickets last week.

Broad struck five times in his first four overs, claiming his 300th test victim with the third ball of the morning when he had opener Chris Rogers caught at first slip by captain Alastair Cook for a duck.

England captain Alastair Cook won the toss in overcast conditions that promised to assist swing and seam bowling and saw his decision vindicated in the most dramatic style imaginable, with paceman Broad taking two wickets in the first over of the match.

Mark Wood, replacing James Anderson, then took a third Australia wicket in his first over as David Warner was caught behind to take it to 15-3.

England’s recent Ashes series victories have been sealed by notable individual displays, be it Kevin Pietersen’s breathtaking hundred at The Oval in 2005, Jonathan Trott’s less spectacular but equally valuable debut century on the same ground four years later and Stuart Broad’s inspired spell at Chester-le-Street in 2013.

Wicket-keeper Peter Nevill and seamer Mitchell Johnson are now at the crease, entrusting with giving Australia a smidgen of respectability after their historically woeful start tonight. Johnson 13 was the highest individual score of a sorry innings.

IN THE NETS: Australia’s Michael Clarke.

Middlesex’s Fran Wilson has been added to the England women squad for next week’s Kia Ashes Test at Canterbury.