Pint-sized Ashes: England v Australia 4th Test Day One

Ben Stokes’s five-wicket haul left England on the verge of an Ashes-clinching win after the second day of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge on Friday (August 7).

Chris Rogers was eight not out and David Warner one not out.

But England still made 391 for nine declared, a huge first-innings lead of 331, after they had skittled Australia out for just 60 on Thursday.

Starc looked menacing with the new ball, picking up 3 wickets but a 4th wicket partnership of 173 runs by Jonathan Bairstow and Joe Root uprooted any plans of an Aussie comeback on day one.

Australia collapsed to 60 all out, Broad an irresistible force with a career-best eight for 15 – figures previously surpassed in the Ashes for England by only Jim Laker.

“It’s good to get to the milestone and be a part of these nice England bowlers”, stated Broad who additionally dismissed Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon in an impressed show.

The announcement of Clarke’s impending retirement came seconds after England regained the Ashes with an innings victory in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. “Stokes’s is one of the best ones I’ve been on a field for”.

Clarke’s captaincy and place in the Australia team already was under scrutiny and he will be feeling under even more pressure now.

His inclination to bat first, despite cloud cover, fell on deaf ears with Cook – and after England’s third-best Ashes figures of all time, Broad will be heeding his captain’s instincts from now on.

“…we’ve raised the white flag and paid out on England’s heroes after sending the Kangaroos back to the balcony before lunch,” a Paddy Power spokesman said. Their tail end batsmen wagged a bit in the third test at Edgbaston so hopefully we can just get the job done.

The tall left-armer produced another cracking ball to bowl Jos Buttler for 12 and Ben Stokes, on five, tickled Josh Hazlewood tamely down the leg-side to Nevill.

Australia had been 113 without loss in their second innings until Stokes took three wickets for four runs in 13 balls shortly before tea.

“For what we’ve been through over the last 18 months, to play like we did has been fantastic”, Cook said. Rogers and Warner became the first Australia openers to both fall for ducks in an Ashes Test innings since Arthur Morris and Jack Moroney at Brisbane in 1950.

Australia also made one change with top-order batsman Shaun Marsh replacing younger brother Mitchell Marsh, a 23-year-old seam bowling all-rounder.

Warner (64) soon followed his partner as Stokes once again induced a false stroke from the burly willower which was easily lapped by Stuart Broad.

Starc (three for 73) profited relatively as the ball continued to swing in the afternoon but England eased in front.